US embassy cable - 02AMMAN5237

S E C R E T AMMAN 005237 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, KPAL, ASEC, PTER 
SUBJECT: IRAQ:  JORDANIAN REACTION TO POINTS ON PRESIDENT'S 
UNGA SPEECH 
 
REF: STATE 175469 
 
Classified By: A/DCM Douglas A. Silliman for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D) 
 
1.  (C)  In the absence of FonMin Muasher (who is leading the 
Jordanian delegation to the UNGA in New York), A/DCM 
delivered ref points to Muasher's personal assistant, Ali 
al-Ayed September 12.  A/DCM urged that the GOJ express 
public support for the President's themes, as well as the 
GOJ's willingness to engage in further consultations on Iraq. 
 
 
2.  (S)  Al-Ayed said Jordanians are concerned about the 
President's remarks and what they will mean for Jordan.  He 
was pleased to see from the President's themes that the U.S. 
appears to be taking a multilateral and scrupulously legal 
approach to Iraq's non-compliance with UNSCRs and will take 
its case to the Security Council.  Al-Ayed said that the GOJ 
had recently reiterated to senior Iraqi visitors (VP Ramadan 
as well as the Iraqi Trade and Information ministers) the 
need for Iraq to abide by all UNSCRs and permit the return of 
UN arms inspectors. 
 
3.  (S)  However, he continued, some of the points in the 
speech, while true, will have little resonance with the 
Jordanian public.  For example, the statement that Iraq has 
consistently defied the UN is equally true of Israel, and 
Jordanians will see a U.S. push for action against Iraq as 
further evidence of the perceived bias of U.S. policy in the 
region.  Finally, he said, even though the U.S. is pledging 
to take its case against Iraq to the UNSC, the mention of 
"unavoidable action" in the final point seems to indicate 
that the U.S. remains convinced of the need to conduct 
military action against Iraq. 
BERRY