US embassy cable - 02AMMAN5993

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005993 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PREF, KPAL, IS, IZ, JO, MEPP 
SUBJECT: KING ABDULLAH AND FONMIN MUASHER ADDRESS TRANSFER 
FEAR: JORDAN WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY REFUGEES, FROM WEST OR EAST 
 
REF: AMMAN 5912 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm.  Reasons 1.5 (b,d). 
 
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Summary 
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1. (U) Foreign Minister Muasher and King Abdullah made 
successive high profile public statements October 10-11 
addressing growing fears in the Kingdom about a possible 
large influx of Palestinian and Iraqi refugees should 
military action against Iraq commence.  The King's remarks 
were part of a longer interview -- aired by the Middle East 
Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), and also broadcast on Jordan 
Television -- in which he criticized the opposition Islamic 
Action Front and refuted speculation that the Hashemites have 
ambitions to return to the throne in Baghdad (septel).  End 
Summary. 
 
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The FM Voices Concern With Israel's Non-Answer on Transfer 
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2. (U) FonMin Marwan Muasher went public October 10 with 
growing GOJ concerns (reftel) about the possibility that 
Israel could exploit U.S.-led military action against Iraq to 
expel large numbers of Palestinians to Jordan.  In a meeting 
with foreign journalists, Muasher stated "we don't want to 
see a situation where the Israeli government might make use 
of a war in Iraq in order to transfer Palestinians to Jordan. 
 While the Israelis have privately assured us this is 
contrary to their policies, we have not yet seen one public 
statement by any Israeli official stating that the transfer 
policy is contrary to Israeli policies.  We are not reassured 
by that at all." 
 
3. (U) Muasher then restated the established GOJ position 
that "we are not in a position to receive any large number of 
refugees" if war with Iraq should begin:  "This will be 
detrimental to the interests of Jordan.  This time (Note: as 
compared to 1990-1991. End Note.) the preparations that we 
have undertaken will make sure that these refugees, if we are 
faced with a large refugee problem, are catered to but not in 
a way that would also have them get inside Jordan.  Jordan is 
in a very delicate and difficult position.  We are walking an 
extremely tight rope.  We already have a war going on in the 
West Bank and we don't need another war going on to our east. 
 It is easy for outsiders to try to solve the problem from 
the outside.  They are not living here." 
 
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The King Reinforces the Point 
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4. (U) On October 11, a day after Muasher's remarks, King 
Abdullah reinforced the GOJ's message on transfer in his MBC 
interview.  Framing Jordan's position in terms of support for 
the Palestinians, the King stated "It is our duty to support 
their (the Palestinians') steadfastness and permanence on 
their lands . . . At the end, our borders will be 
impenetrable in the face of compulsory transfers of our 
Palestinian brethren or expelling them from their lands." 
 
5. (U) Turning to Jordan's eastern borders, the King stated 
that "Jordan will not accept any influx of Iraqi or other 
refugees.  We will not allow the setting up of camps for any 
refugee, whether of Iraqi or any other nationality, on 
Jordanian soil.  If we here are considering the passage of 
refugees to their homelands through Jordan, such camps should 
be erected on Iraqi lands.  We will not allow them to stop or 
remain on Jordanian soil." 
 
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Comment 
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6. (C) As reported reftel, the specter of large-scale refugee 
flows -- Iraqi, but even more so Palestinian -- into Jordan 
in the event of war looms large among the public's anxieties. 
 The King's and FonMin Muasher's remarks on the subject were 
clearly a coordinated effort by the GOJ to address those 
fears.  Muasher's remarks in particular betray a mounting 
frustration that the Israelis have not taken any action to 
lower the public speculation on the subject.  We continue to 
believe that a clear U.S. enunciation in support of Jordanian 
stability, and our rejection of actions that could compromise 
it, would be useful, making it easier for the Jordanians to 
overcome the political obstacles to full coordination with 
refugee relief organizations. 
GNEHM