US embassy cable - 03AMMAN1914

S E C R E T AMMAN 001914 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2008 
TAGS: EFIN 
SUBJECT: PROPOSED VISIT TO JORDAN BY TREASURY AUDITING TEAM 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm.  Reasons 1.5 (b), (d). 
 
1.  (C)  Post learned by email from NEA that Treasury Under 
Secretary Taylor contacted Jordanian Finance Minister Michel 
 
SIPDIS 
Marto and Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) Governor Umayya Toukan 
regarding Treasury's interest in sending a small auditing 
team to Amman to learn more about the activities and 
functioning of the Amman branch of Iraq's Rafidain Bank.  We 
understand from a subsequent email that Treasury believed 
that U/S Taylor had secured Jordanian concurrence for such a 
visit. 
 
2.  (C)  Regrettably, our interlocutors are unable to confirm 
an agreement to receive a Treasury team.  Finance Minister 
Marto told the Ambassador March 27 that while he had no 
objection personally, he had referred U/S Taylor to Governor 
Toukan as the appropriate authority.  Deputy Governor 
Muhammad Said Shahin told ECON/C March 31 that the Governor 
did not recall having approved a visit by such a team.  After 
consulting again with the Governor, Shahin confirmed that 
Toukan believes he told U/S Taylor that such a request would 
have to be made through formal diplomatic channels so as to 
secure the agreement of the government as a whole.  The 
Governor had, Shahin said, told U/S Taylor that he would be 
willing to review a Treasury questionnaire regarding 
Rafidain's local activities, which should also be submitted 
through diplomatic channels. 
 
3.  (S)  Shahin noted that the Rafidain branch was subject to 
Jordanian laws and to the same CBJ supervision as any other 
bank in Jordan.  He reiterated that the CBJ continues at his 
and the Governor's level to monitor individual transactions 
involving Iraqi accounts in Jordanian banks (including at 
Rafidain) and to block any transaction believed to involve 
the Iraqi government or its fronts.  This is done in 
coordination with other GOJ agencies, including the 
intelligence services.  Shahin added that he had been 
surprised at the relatively small number of requests for such 
transactions. 
 
4.  (C)  Comment:  Shahin made clear that the CBJ was ready 
to cooperate with Treasury provided it had political 
authorization.  The Bank would also want to examine the 
domestic legal ramifications and to set parameters for a 
team's mission.  Shahin said that PM Abul Ragheb was aware of 
Treasury's interest.  Post would be happy to support a 
Treasury visit and to facilitate a formal request for 
Jordanian government approval if instructed to do by 
Washington and would be prepared to request M authorization 
for the visit under standing guidelines for authorized 
departure.  Such an instruction from Washington should 
contain a specific description of a team's proposed mission 
and objectives.  We also note that the security threat in 
Amman remains very high.  In addition, the subject the team 
would be looking into is highly sensitive, as Shahin pointed 
out.  For these reasons, and if accepted by the Jordanians, a 
team would need to keep an extremely low profile, working out 
of the Embassy building with the support and involvement of 
Economic Section staff. 
GNEHM