US embassy cable - 03AMMAN1665

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001665 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2013 
TAGS: PREL, EFIN, ETTC, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: FONMIN MUASHER AGAIN RAISES JORDANIAN 
CONCERN ON O-F-F SUSPENSION; NEED FOR QUICK UNSC ACTION TO 
AUTHORIZE COTECNA OPERATIONS OUTSIDE IRAQ 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm.  Reasons 1.5 (b,d). 
 
1. (C) During a March 19 meeting with Ambassador on a number 
of subjects, FonMin Muasher raised the GOJ's concern with the 
current suspension of the Oil For Food (OFF) program. 
Muasher told the Ambassador that Jordan's mission in New York 
has been told that shipments currently en route to Iraq must 
be sent back because there is no Cotecna staff left in Iraq 
to verify the arrival of the goods.  Jordan has long feared 
that such a scenario would have a serious negative impact on 
Jordanian banks, which have financed O-F-F exports to Iraq. 
(Muasher's assistant Ali al-Ayed subsequently confirmed to 
Econ/C that Jordan's UN Mission has raised Jordan's concerns 
directly with the UN's Office of the Iraq Program.) 
 
2. (C) Muasher noted that its UN Mission understands that the 
U.K. intends to put forward a resolution soon after 
hostilities begin to revise procedures for the O-F-F program. 
 These would hopefully allow Cotecna to carry out its 
functions in the countries neighboring Iraq.  "We need that 
done quickly," Muasher stressed, "its extremely important to 
us." 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
3. (C) We agree completely with Muasher that whatever UNSC 
action is needed to resume the O-F-F program be done as 
quickly as possible -- both to ensure the health of Jordan's 
banking system, and more broadly to facilitate delivery of 
humanitarian supplies to Iraq's civilian populations. 
 
GNEHM