US embassy cable - 05AMMAN2969

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002969 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, KMPI, JO 
SUBJECT: LIBERALS, TRADITIONALISTS BOTH EXPRESS THEIR 
DOUBTS OVER NEW GOVERNMENT 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 2890 
 
     B. AMMAN 2851 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (C) Both liberal activists and their traditionalist 
opponents here voice reservations about the new Jordanian 
cabinet.  Liberals have hailed the strong rhetorical emphasis 
on reform, but doubt the new government will be able to match 
its words with action.  At the same time, traditionalist East 
Bankers have expressed strong reservations about 
reform-minded ministers (particularly Bassem Awadallah) who 
they claim are out of touch with "real" Jordanians. 
Thirty-four MPs have pledged to withhold their votes of 
confidence in the new government for PM Badran's failure to 
consult with them and for excluding ministerial candidates 
from the south.  Some local press, for the first time, have 
questioned the King's traditional prerogative of choosing new 
cabinets behind closed doors, asking whether the time has 
come for a more democratic process.  End Summary. 
 
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REFORM EMPHASIS WELCOMED 
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2.  (C) The new Jordanian cabinet has been at the center of 
attention in the local media and West Amman salons since its 
announcement on April 7.  In reviewing the King's letter of 
designation (ref B) and subsequent statements from the 
palace, most Jordanians have agreed that the King's desire to 
push forward the reform agenda was a primary factor in his 
appointment of the new government.  This emphasis on reform 
has been welcomed by human rights and political activists 
contacted by post.  Several activists noted their respect for 
new PM Adnan Badran as a distinguished academic and known 
advocate of reform, and were hopeful that the carry-over of 
reform-minded ministers from the last cabinet, such as Asma 
Khader and Salah Al-Bashir, signified that the new government 
would be more "serious" and unified in its commitment to 
achieve real change. 
 
3.  (C) Most activists, however, sounded a strong note of 
caution, stating that they had grown weary of past reform 
promises that had "amounted to nothing."  "We don't really 
care who is prime minister or in the cabinet as long as they 
can finally shake things up," said one contact, reflecting 
the views of many.  Some also cast doubt on the reform 
credentials of certain ministers, including Deputy PM and 
Minister for Political Development Hisham al-Tel who is 
reported to have had a strong hand (as former head of the 
prime ministry's legislative unit) in drafting the 
poorly-received draft laws on political parties and 
professional associations.  (NOTE:  In al-Tel's defense, we 
note he was likely working under government orders.  END 
NOTE.)  Most activists and political analysts we talked to 
questioned whether Badran and his team had the political 
skills and savvy to implement reform over the objections of 
strong traditionalist forces. 
 
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EAST BANKER CONCERN 
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4.  (C) Conservative East Bank tribal sheikhs and MPs 
contacted by poloff also had their enthusiasm under control. 
While making clear that they supported the King, they 
nevertheless grumbled that the new cabinet was comprised of 
too many technocrats who "do not understand real Jordanians." 
 The choice of Bassem Awadallah for Minister of Finance was a 
particular sore point.  All claimed to back reform in 
general, but at the same time most advised that reform be 
carried out "gradually" and in a way that did not "disrupt" 
Jordanian society and culture. 
 
5.  (SBU) Hardcore East Bank nationalist Nahed Hatter 
captured some concerns of the East Bank old-guard in a recent 
commentary in Arabic-daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm.  While professing 
support for reform, Hatter expressed fear that the new 
government might "limit" the reform process to increasing the 
representation of "refugees" (i.e., Jordanians of Palestinian 
origin), minority groups and women, and to "surrendering" the 
Jordanian economy to "foreign interests" at the expense of 
Jordanian citizens. 
 
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STRONG WORDS FROM PARLIAMENT 
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6.  (U) On April 10, a group of 34 of the 110 members of the 
Lower House of parliament signed a public statement 
complaining that the legislature was not consulted during the 
formation of the new government, and promising to withhold 
their votes of confidence in the next parliamentary session. 
In the strongly worded letter, the MPs described the 
composition of the new government as an "affront to the 
deputies, their will and their feelings, as it comprises 
ministers who created tension between the Parliament and the 
former government."  (NOTE: MP Jalil Maaytah (East Banker, 
Kerak) publicly named Bassem Awadallah and Salah Bashir as 
the ministers in question.  END NOTE.)  The MPs, who mainly 
hail from the southern governorates, also said that the 
cabinet contradicted what they called "royal directives" to 
represent all areas of Jordan in that it excluded ministerial 
candidates from the south.  The statement continued to blast 
the new economic team, charging that these ministers "have no 
interaction or contact with the concerns of the Jordanian 
people, in addition to the reality of those people." 
 
7.  (C) Outside of the disgruntled MPs from the south, other 
legislators privately voiced frustration that they were once 
again ignored by the palace in the selection of cabinet 
ministers.  Several had hoped, if not expected, that the new 
government would include at least one MP, even if only as a 
symbolic nod to the importance of Parliament in advancing 
reform.  Dr. Ibrahim Badran, head of the International 
Relations department at Philadelphia University (and no 
relation to the new PM), told poloff that he and many of his 
colleagues admired the U.S. system of individually confirming 
cabinet secretaries as this gave legitimacy to the selection 
process and instilled in the legislative branch a sense of 
responsibility and inclusion.  He said this was sorely 
lacking in the Jordanian system. 
 
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A QUESTIONING PRESS 
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8.  (C) In comparison to the reception given to previous new 
cabinets (including accolades for the "reformist" October 
2003 cabinet of ex-PM Fayez), the tone of the local media has 
been noticeably more critical of the incoming ministerial 
line-up.  While part of this is due to the presence of 
several controversial personalities in the new cabinet, the 
press appears more willing than ever to question the very 
process by which the King dissolves and forms governments at 
will, and behind closed doors.  Liberal editorialist (and 
Christian East Banker) Jamil Nimri wrote in Al-Arab Al-Yawm, 
for example, that the traditional method of choosing 
governments in Jordan was "no longer convincing or 
acceptable."  He observed a "growing gap" between democratic 
reform and the "autocratic content" of Jordanian governments. 
 Reflecting the private views held by several of our 
reformist contacts, he wrote:  "The formation of the 
government here does not belong to the era of democracy, 
which means elected governments.  The people choose their 
deputies and the deputies choose their governments." 
 
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COMMENT 
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9.  (C) Initial reaction to PM Badran and his team indicates 
that the new government will not have much of a honeymoon 
period.  With liberals impatiently demanding change and 
traditionalists afraid of losing political leverage, the 
cabinet will have to walk a careful line.  Relations with a 
testy parliament will require particular attention so as to 
avoid derailment of the new cabinet's legislative agenda. 
 
10.  (U) Minimize considered. 
HALE