US embassy cable - 02AMMAN6610

S E C R E T AMMAN 006610 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, JO, LE, SY, IR 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON POSSIBLE HIZBALLAH RESUPPLY 
FLIGHT 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 225699 B. RIYADH 07422 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR EDWARD W. GNEHM FOR REAPONS 1.5 (B), (C), AND 
 (D) 
 
1. (S/NF) DCM delivered Ref A demarche on November 9 to Ali 
al-Ayad, personal assistant to FONMIN Muasher.  Ali promised 
to provide the information to the appropriate people in the 
GOJ and asked for further details on the flight as soon as 
they are available.  DCM also provided the text of the 
demarche to ORCA for follow-up in other channels. 
 
2. (S/NF) The Ambassador took up the issue with GID Director 
Sa'ad Kheir on November 11.  Kheir pointed out that Saudi 
Arabia was by far the best placed to deal with the problem. 
That said, if there were clear evidence that a specific 
flight was transporting arms, Kheir said, Jordan would insist 
on inspecting the aircraft as a matter of course.  He noted, 
however, that the Turks had forced an Iranian plane to land, 
only to discover that it was carrying "vegetables."  The 
already touchy Jordanian-Iranian relationship did not need 
that kind of embarrassment. 
 
3. (S/NF) Comment: The Jordanians are pleased that Saudi 
Arabia denied overflight (ref B) and will continue to argue 
that, on purely practical grounds, we should focus on Saudi 
Arabia for such requests in the future. 
GNEHM