US embassy cable - 03AMMAN1864

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 001864 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2013 
TAGS: AEMR, AMGT, ASEC, CASC, CVIS, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: AMMAN SITREP 15 (3/27 1800 LOCAL) 
 
REF: A. (A) AMMAN 1835 
     B. (B) FBIS GMP2003026000151 
     C. (C) AMMAN 1801 
     D. (D) AMMAN 1744 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Doug Silliman. Reason 1.5 (b,d). 
 
---------------- 
General Overview 
---------------- 
 
1.  (C)  Embassy EAC met March 27 to discuss security 
measures in anticipation of significant protest activity 
after Friday prayers on March 28.  EAC issued a "standfast" 
order for all non-emergency personnel for 3/28 until 1800. 
After 1800, unless notified differently, post posture will 
return to allowing American personnel essential movements, to 
include travel to the Embassy and stops for necessary 
supplies.  The EAC will reassess the local security 
environment following the weekend. 
 
2. (U) In a postscript to the expulsion of Iraqi diplomats 
from Jordan for security reasons earlier in the week, and the 
GOI's verbal attacks against the GOJ for doing so (ref A), 
the official Petra New Agency quoted the Iraqi Ambassador to 
Jordan Sabah Yasin as characterizing the entire affair as "no 
more than a passing summer cloud."  In an meeting with GOJ 
Minister of Industry and Trade Salah Bashir, the Iraqi 
Ambassador indicated that the three expelled Iraqi diplomats 
will be replaced "as soon as possible." (ref B) 
 
3. (S/NF) Privately, GOJ security officials have confirmed 
rumors that a fire set at the Amman Hyatt Hotel on March 22 
was set by IIS sabateours. (ref C) 
 
4. (SBU)  Approximately 7,000 people attended funerals in the 
northern Jordanian city of Ramtha (near Irbid) for the 
Jordanian students killed in Mosul March 23 (ref D).  As of 
1800, PSD had not reported any disturbances associated with 
the funerary march. 
 
5. (SBU)  About 1,000 anti-U.S., but pro-government, 
protesters held a demonstration at Jordan University March 
27.  PSD notes that the demonstration was peaceful. 
 
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Consular Issues 
--------------- 
 
6. (U)  No new issues. 
 
---------------------- 
GOJ Actions/Statements 
---------------------- 
 
7. (U)  Planning Minister Bassam Awadullah welcomed the 
Ambassador's announcement of the President's proposed $1.1 
billion supplemental aid package for Jordan.  Awadullah said 
the aid would "help mitigate the impact of war and make sure 
that Jordan's success story is not jeopardized."  He noted 
the international community recognized that allowing the 
Jordanian economic model to fail would have negative 
consequences for U.S. and European development plans for the 
rest of the region.  Awadullah expressed confidence that the 
EU would soon increase its aid to Jordan along similar lines. 
 
8. (U)  The official Petra news service reported (ref B) that 
GOJ Industry and Trade Minister Bashir telephoned Iraqi Trade 
Minister Muhammed Mahdi Salih 3/26 and "emphasized the deep 
relations between the two brotherly countries."  The report 
stated that Bashir told Salih that he would work with the 
Iraqi Ambassador in Jordan to find "mechanisms that would 
facilitate and expedite the constant flow of goods to Iraq . 
. . and emphasized that issues regarding transportation, 
rapid and smooth flow of goods, and alternatives determined 
by priorities in order to meet humanitarian needs in Iraq 
will be studied." 
 
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Security 
-------- 
 
9. (C) The GID and PSD will deploy additional security 
personnel overnight around the Embassy, ancillary USG 
facilities, and neighborhoods where Embassy housing is 
located, as part of the GOJ's overall preparations for 
possible 3/28 post-prayers demonstrations.  As noted para 1, 
Embassy will implement a standfast order for American 
employees until 1800 on Friday. 
 
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Economic and Trade Developments 
------------------------------- 
 
10. (C)  Port activity:  QIZ exporters reported rumors that 
container ships have been delayed coming into Aqaba. 
Shipping Agents Association Chairman Dalabieh confirms that 
inbound freight has experienced slight delays over the past 
48 hours, but attributes the delay to inclement weather and 
to an inoperable gantry crane at the port, which delayed 
berthing and offloading, respectively.  Dalabieh said inbound 
cargo should resume as normal starting March 27. 
 
11.  (sbu) Internet companies report a sharp upsurge in 
internet use, particularly email traffic, over the last week 
(septel).  The technical support director at the largest 
internet provider in Jordan said that sophisticated software 
is allowing users to access and download tv news reports, 
which are then given broad circulation via email.  Despite an 
increase in traffic that has at times reached 95% capacity, 
providers report no problems with continued service. 
 
12.  (sbu) Similarly, mobile provider MobileCom said that 
levels of text messaging (or SMS) traffic are also on the 
rise, as much as twice the normal level at times. Stephane 
Boudier, Chief Technical Officer for  MobileCom said there 
was "no strain" on the system.  He added, however, that the 
company was getting a "steadily rising" number of complaints 
about inability to connect to land lines in Iraq, a problem 
the company is attributing to degradation of the Iraqi 
telecom infrastructure due to the conflict. 
 
13.  (sbu) Trading on the Amman Stock Exchange was flat 
Thursday, the index up .08%. 
 
14.  (sbu) Target Corporation continues to book orders 
through Jordanian QIZs and said they have no plans to 
discontinue unless events on the ground change.  The company 
gave this reassurance despite an increase in fuel charge per 
kilo from five cents to twenty cents for the Middle East 
imposed March 24.  Target officials said that a shortage of 
aircraft due to military action and a decrease in passenger 
travel added to the increased transportation costs. 
 
--------------------------- 
Refugee/Humanitarian Issues 
--------------------------- 
 
15. (U) UNHCR & IOM report that the Jordan-Iraq border 
remains open.  Seven TCNs entered Jordan from Iraq overnight 
(March 26-27) but there have been no TCN arrivals since 1:00 
am.  There are currently 173 TCNs in the transit camp.  Still 
no sign of any Iraqi refugees/asylum seekers. 
 
16.  (U) Weather conditions improved considerably March 27, 
allowing IOM to resume its repatriation operations.  Four 
Somalis left the camp and another six are scheduled to leave 
on March 28.  Some Sudanese & Somali nationals have told IOM 
officials they do not want to return home.  UNHCR officials 
currently are interviewing these individuals. 
 
17.  (C) MSF/Amman has not received any news from its 
two-truck convoy that crossed from Jordan into Iraq on March 
26.  Separately, the French Embassy in Amman told UNHCR 
officials that it has heard that the Amman-Baghdad highway 
has been "cut" by coalition forces 80 km west of Baghdad. 
 
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Press 
----- 
18. (SBU)  Banner headlines in all Jordanian dailies March 27 
highlighted developments in the war.  Lead reports focus on 
the bombing of a marketplace in Baghdad and continued battles 
in southern Iraq.  Other major stories highlight remarks by 
Iraq's Ambassador to Jordan that the recent diplomatic "tiff" 
between the countries was a "tempest in a teapot," and that 
bilateral relations remain normal.  Editorials continue to 
criticize the war in the strongest terms, to express 
admiration for Iraqi resistance, and to voice outrage over 
civilian casualties. 
 
19.  (U)  The Ambassador's announcement of the President's 
request for $1.1 billion in supplemental aid for Jordan 
appeared on the front pages and in the economic pages of all 
Jordanian dailies March 27.  One local commentator noted that 
"Western assistance to Jordan reflects sensitivity to the 
losses suffered by the economy due to war." 
 
GNEHM