US embassy cable - 05AMMAN3907

UNCLAS AMMAN 003907 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/PD; SA/PPD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, KISL, PREL, JO 
SUBJECT: OUTREACH ACTION ON ALLEGED KORAN 
DESECRATION 
 
Ref: State 090992 
 
1.   1.              Post raised the Koran desecration issue 
with the GOJ and widely distributed the Secretary's comments 
and the Newsweek retraction to the media and our journalist 
contacts in addition to posting them on the Embassy Webpage. 
While the Jordanian press prominently reported "Islamic 
outrage" and protests as well as calls for investigation by 
the GOJ spokesperson and Parliamentarians, local reaction on 
the street was limited to a rally by the Islamic Action 
Front, originally called to protest Israeli extremist 
threats to al-Aqsa.  End Summary. 
 
2.  On May 17, the Foreign Minister's first 
day back from a trip to Brazil, the Charge 
raised with Foreign Minister Qasrawi the 
Secretary's statement underlining U.S. 
 
SIPDIS 
respect for the Koran and the Newsweek 
retraction.  Qasrawi said the Secretary's 
statement had been effective in dispelling 
negative sentiment in Jordan.  He mentioned 
that he had been called to discuss this issue 
with the foreign relations committee of the 
upper house of parliament, and would 
highlight the Charge's comments, including 
the Secretary's statement and the retraction. 
He recommended against any Embassy public 
statement, saying that at this point it would 
only contribute additional energy to press 
reporting on the controversy. 
 
3.   Meanwhile, over the past week the 
Mission took the following action on the 
Koran story.  PA posted Secretary Rice's 
statement on the reports of the desecration 
on our website and distributed it to the full 
list of media contacts.  Subsequently PA also 
distributed the Newsweek apology story and 
retraction plus selected quotes from senior 
USG officials, which were reported by several 
local dailies. 
 
4.   Local media over the past week featured 
the rioting in South Asia sparked by the 
incident as well as statements by GOJ 
spokesperson Asma Khadr calling for an 
investigation and punishment if the 
allegations were proven.  They also reported 
a condemnation of the alleged desecration by 
the Lower House of Parliament.  There were 
also a few editorials stating that the 
incident "if proven," would only reinforce 
the fact that the U.S. fails to respect Islam 
and is not serious about its calls for 
freedom and tolerance in the region.  (A 
special media reaction on the Koran 
desecration will follow via septel.) 
 
5.   Minimize considered. 
 
HALE