US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3751

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003751 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2015 
TAGS: PREL, JO, IZ 
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN PM VISITS BAGHDAD 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Robert Ford for 
reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
1. (U)  Jordanian Prime Minister Adnan Badran, accompanied by 
Foreign Minister Farouk Kasrawi and Ministers of Interior, 
Energy and Planning, visited Baghdad the afternoon of 
September 10.  The delegation held separate meetings with 
Iraqi PM Ibrahim al-Ja'afari and Deputy President Adil Abd 
al-Mahdi.  There was a press conference following each event. 
 The visit was largely meant to send a signal to Arab and 
neighboring countries that it is time to begin direct 
high-level bilateral relations with the GOI. 
 
2. (C) While short on substance and long on intentions, the 
atmospherics surrounding the visit were good with smiles all 
around.  Slaiman Arabiat, the Jordanian CDA in Baghdad, later 
told Poloff that discussions were general and focused on 
bilateral issues of trade, security and debt.  Plans were 
made to restart activities of the Iraq-Jordan Commission and 
its 10 Committees, though Iraqi PM Advisor Adnan Ali termed 
these plans as very preliminary.  The Jordanian PM extended 
an invitation for an official visit to Amman by PM 
al-Ja'fari.  (NOTE: Adnan Ali stressed that the Iraqis await 
an official invitation from Amman.)  An advisor to Deputy 
President Abdel Mehdi commented that the meetings went 
smoothly, with little discussion of details.  He added that 
the point was made to Arab and neighboring countries that it 
is time to move relations forward with the new Iraq. 
 
3. (C) COMMENT: Badran, Kasrawi and Arabiat each expressed 
appreciation for the substantial logistical and security 
support provided by Embassy and MNF-I.  On the Iraqi side, 
ITG disorganization was in clear evidence with Ja'afari 
himself arriving in his office to receive Badran 15 minutes 
after the Jordanian PM had arrived.  Furthermore, the Iraqi 
PM's office, which had initially claimed to have full 
responsibility for the schedule, neglected to confirm the 
location of the meeting with Abdel Mehdi.  (Septel reports 
further on organizational challenges in Ja'afari's office). 
While post was pleased to help with this important first 
visit of an Arab Head of Government to post-Saddam Iraq, we 
will press the Iraqis to assume greater responsibilities for 
future high-level trips of this kind. 
Satterfield