US embassy cable - 05AMMAN5575

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 005575 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2015 
TAGS: ECON, EAID, EFIN, PREL, JO, IZ 
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN COMMENTS ON JULY 18-19 IRAQ DONOR'S 
CONFERENCE 
 
REF: STATE 127710 
 
Classified By: DAVID HALE, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES A.I., REASONS: 1.4 (B &D) 
 
1.  (SBU) Embassy passed reftel demarche on July 10 to Ghaith 
Zureikat, Director of the U.S., South America, and Australia 
Bilateral Cooperation Division at the Ministry of Planning 
and 
Bilateral Cooperation.  (Note: The Ministry has lead 
responsibility within the GOJ for organizing the 
Jordan-hosted 
IRFFI conference and for consultation with IRFFI members 
and Iraq donors generally.  End Note).  Deputy Secretary 
Zoellick also discussed the forthcoming IRFFI conference with 
King Abdullah, and expressed great appreciation for Jordan,s 
role as conference host, during a July 10 meeting (septel). 
Emboff followed up with Zureikat on July 12 concerning GOJ 
plans for the conference and views on its significance. 
 
IRAQ Reconstruction "Vital" to Jordan 
------------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) Zureikat expressed thanks for U.S. support of the 
conference, and noted that Jordan regards the International 
Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) as a key 
element in 
progress towards achievement of stability and prosperity in 
Iraq. 
He added that such stability is vital to the future political 
stability 
and economic development of the Middle East as a whole, and 
said that Jordan is extremely pleased to be hosting the IRFFI 
conference and is looking forward to broad participation by 
the 
donor community. 
 
3.  (SBU) While acknowledging that this will not be a 
"pledging" 
conference, Zureikat said that the GOJ is concerned that 
international assistance to the reconstruction of Iraq is 
flagging, and 
hopes that the conference will provide new impetus to resist 
or 
reverse this trend.  He added that Jordan will continue to 
provide 
in-kind assistance to Iraq reconstruction, including training 
and 
other assistance in the sectors of banking, medicine, water, 
transportation, and security. 
 
Security Issues 
-------- 
 
4.  (C) While noting that security logistics details are 
still being 
worked out, Zureikat said that security at the IRFFI 
conference will 
be organized in a similar manner to that provided at the 
World 
Economic Forum (WEF) last May (Note: the WEF was also held at 
the Dead Sea Conference Center.  End Note).  In this regard, 
he 
said that outside access to the Dead Sea hotels will be 
limited to 
authorized personnel and IRFFI delegates. 
 
Possible Attendance by King Abdullah 
---------------------------- 
 
5.  (C) While the overall IRFFI agenda is still being 
developed, 
Zureikat noted that a welcome dinner hosted by Minister of 
Planning Suhair al-Ali will be held for IRFFI delegates at 
the 
Conference Center, starting at 1900 on Sunday, on July 17. 
He 
added that King Abdullah will return from a visit to South 
Africa some time on July 17, and will "probably" attend 
either 
this reception or a still-to-be-organized event to coincide 
with the 
plenary on July 18.   Zureikat stressed that the issue of the 
King's 
attendance is not fully resolved, and that a final decision 
might 
not be made before July 15. 
HALE