US embassy cable - 05AMMAN3467

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 003467 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDAN WELCOMES NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT 
 
REF: A. STATE 79107 
 
     B. AMMAN 3231 
     C. AMMAN 3048 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (SBU)  Following wide local press coverage of PM Badran's 
April 29 congratulatory telephone call to his Iraqi 
counterpart Ibrahim Ja'fari, poloff delivered ref A points to 
Walid Obeidat in Foreign Minister Qasrawi's private office. 
Obeidat underscored the GOJ's commitment to supporting Iraq's 
new government and said Jordan is working to help stabilize 
Iraq and assist in its reconstruction. 
 
2.  (C)  According to press reports, during his conversation 
with Ja'afari, Badran commended the Iraqis' efforts to build 
their political institutions and stressed Jordan's support 
for Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity.  Badran's 
comments echoed closely the King's recent public statements 
and cables of congratulations to the new Iraqi government 
(refs B and C).  Badran also issued an invitation to Ja'afari 
to visit Amman, according to the press.  Obeidat told poloff 
that a visit by Jordan's PM and/or FM to Iraq was still on 
the table (ref C) to deal with several bilateral issues, but 
that a date has not yet been confirmed. 
 
3.  (C)  Obeidat commented that from Jordan's perspective, 
the neighbor's meeting held in Turkey on April 30, which 
Foreign Minister Qasrawi attended, went "very well."  He said 
the final communique, which pledged to boost border security 
cooperation closely mirrored the "language and spirit" of the 
statement issued after an earlier meeting of the neighboring 
countries held in Amman.  According to press reports, the 
Istanbul declaration condemned "terrorist actions" in Iraq 
and said the neighbors were determined "to increase their 
cooperation in the overall border security with Iraq... with 
the primary aim of stemming terrorist and other illegal 
infiltrations to and from Iraq."  The countries also pledged 
to support and cooperate with the new government, 
particularly as it prepares for the coming stages in the 
political process. 
 
4.  (U)  While in Istanbul, Qasrawi met with UN envoy to Iraq 
Ashraf Qazi on April 29.  Qasrawi stressed Jordan's continued 
support for the UN's efforts in Iraq and pledged Jordan's 
willingness to provide all forms of assistance to the UN 
mission there, according to the press.  Separately, Qasrawi 
discussed regional issues, including Iraq, with the 
Organization of the Islamic Conference's (OIC) Secretary 
General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, as well as the agenda for the 
upcoming OIC meeting in Sanaa.  Qasrawi also discussed Iraq 
and other bilateral issues with Egyptian FM Abul Gheit on the 
margins of the Istanbul meeting. 
 
5.  (U)  Minimize considered. 
 
Please visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at 
http://www.state.sgov/p/nea/amman/ or access the site through 
the Department of State's SIPRNET home page. 
HALE