US embassy cable - 03AMMAN1869

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001869 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2013 
TAGS: AEMR, AMGT, ASEC, CASC, CVIS, EFIN, ETRD, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: TFIZOl: AMMAN SITREP 16 (3/28 1200 LOCAL) 
 
REF: A. FBIS GMP2003O327O00269 
     B. FBIS GMP20030327OOO267 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Doug Silliman. Reason 1.5 (b,d). 
 
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General Overview 
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1. (C)  The Embassy is closed March 28 and 29 for the 
Jordanian weekend.  Given expectations for widespread 
demonstrations around the country, all American staff (with 
the exception of those who must come to the Embassy for 
mission-critical work) have been instructed to remain at 
"Standfast" until 1800 local.  Jordan went on daylight 
savings time at midnight local March 27-28.  Jordan is now 
at GMT plus three hours. 
 
2.  (SBU)  Because of continued heavy public focus on 
Jordanian civilian casualties, including the funerals March 
27 of four students killed in Mosul, the Ambassador sent a 
condolence letter to Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher.  Text 
of letter follows: 
 
begin text 
 
Your Excellency, 
 
During the past several days I have seen reports in the 
media on the deaths of five Jordanian citizens in two 
separate incidents in Iraq.  While the Embassy in Amman has 
no specific information about these incidents, I want to 
express my deepest condolences.  My sympathies are with the 
families and friends in this time of sadness. 
 
With much respect, 
 
Very sincerely yours, 
/s/ 
Edward W. Gnehm 
Ambassador 
 
end text. 
 
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Consular Issues 
--------------- 
 
3. (U)  No new issues. 
 
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GOJ Actions/Statements 
---------------------- 
 
4. (U)  The official Petra News Service reported that King 
Abdullah issued a directive to the government March 27 to 
conduct a comprehensive study on the situation of Jordanian 
students who have returned from Iraq due to the war, to 
ensure that they continue their studies.  He instructed the 
government to study the possibility of absorbing them at 
Jordanian public and private universities in case they 
cannot return to Iraq.  According to the report, there were 
3,000 Jordanian students at Iraqi universities prior to the 
onset of hostilities.  Of this total, 2,341 have returned 
to Jordan since the crisis began (ref a). 
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Security 
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5. (C)  Embassy expects significant demonstration activity 
following Friday prayers.  RSO has coordinated further 
enhanced security measures with PSD. 
 
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Economic and Trade Developments 
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6. (U)  The official Petra News Service reported March 27 
that Jordanian vehicles continue passing through Karama 
check point into Iraq with pharmaceuticals and other 
commodities.  According to the report, one vehicle crossed 
on March 27, and two vehicles belonging to Medecins Sans 
Frontiers crossed on March 26.  Since the beginning of the 
war, 224 vehicles carrying a total of 3,480 tons of goods 
have departed Jordan for Iraq, according to the report (ref 
b) . 
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Refugee/Humanitarian Issues 
--------------------------- 
 
7. (U)  No new issues. 
 
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Press 
----- 
 
8. (SBU)  Embassy Press Officer received a call at 2100 
local March 27 from Amcit journalist Lisa Barron, who works 
for CBS Radio and is currently in Amman.  She has been in 
contact with an Amcit journalist named Nate Thayer, who 
writes for Slate.com and E 
squire magazine and who is in 
Baghdad at the Palestine hotel.  There appears to be a visa 
problem.  Thayer entered on a tourist visa, but has been 
filing stories for his publications.  According to Barron, 
discussions appear to be ongoing as to whether Iraq will 
expel Thayer, alter his visa status, or detain him. 
 
9.  (SBU)  Subsequent to this information, Embassy Crisis 
Liaison Unit was contacted by James Rupert, Deputy Foreign 
Editor for Newsday.  Rupert, who is in Amman, said he had 
been told by the Cox News Service Baghdad correspondent, 
Larry Kaplow, that two Newsday journalists had "gone 
missing" from the Palestine hotel, apparently taken away by 
Iraqi security officers.  The two Newsday journalists are 
Matthew McAllester (a UK citizen) and Moises Saman (a 
Spanish citizen).  The other three were Molly Bingham (an 
Amcit freelance photographer), Philip Robert Latasa (an 
Amcit peace activist), and Johan Deng Spanner (a Danish 
photographer).  Embassy conveyed information in paras 8-9 
to CMS task force lJ-PA at 2130 and 23O0 local via e-mail. 
 
10.  (SBU)  In addition to these reports, Embassy has 
learned that NPR correspondent Ann Garrols has been 
unheard-from for two days, according to local sources with 
whom she regularly communicates. 
GNEHM