US embassy cable - 03AMMAN2029

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002029 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: TFIZ01:  PM ABUL RAGHEB CONVOKES AMBASSADOR ON 
IRAQI CIVILIAN CASUALTIES, NEED FOR MEPP MOVEMENT 
 
REF: A. FBIS GMP20030402000301 
 
     B. FBIS GMP20030403000173 
 
Classified By: Amb. Edward W. Gnehm for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D) 
 
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U.S. MUST DO MORE TO PROTECT CIVILIANS 
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1.  (S)  Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb convoked the 
Ambassador April 3 to deliver a message on Iraq.  Foreign 
Minister Marwan Muasher was present, and PolCouns accompanied 
the Ambassador.  Abul Ragheb said that Jordan opposed the war 
and was not happy that it had started, but needed to be 
pragmatic in its approach.  "People are angry about the war 
and the fact that there was no UN approval."  Jordanians 
"love the Iraqi people," and are rightfully concerned by the 
images of civilian casualties in Iraq.  They are therefore 
demanding that the GOJ do something about it.  The GOJ, 
consequently, must ask that the U.S. and UK do more to stop 
civilian casualties, end the war as soon as possible, and 
provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi population. 
 
2.  (S)  The final outcome in Iraq will have a large 
influence on how Jordanians will ultimately view the 
conflict, Abul Ragheb continued.  Iraq must remain united, 
there must be no civil war, Iraqis must be able to choose 
their leadership, and the coalition and the international 
community will have to show immediate humanitarian concern. 
General Garner, Abul Ragheb said, is being portrayed in the 
Arabic media as "a friend of Sharon."  This point alone, Abul 
Ragheb argued, could doom the legitimacy of the post-war 
relief and rebuilding efforts in the eyes of many Arabs.  It 
will be important to gain UN legitimacy for post-war 
rebuilding and governance.  "People in Washington" who do not 
want a UN role for post-war Iraq, "are very talented in 
making you look bad" in the region. 
 
3.  (S)  After delivering his points, the PM noted that King 
Abdullah had given an interview April 2 to the official Petra 
news agency in which he had used the word "ghazu" (attack or 
invasion) to describe the war (ref a).  This new, stronger 
language was meant, he said, to address the anger of 
Jordanians against the war. 
 
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U.S. CONCERNED ABOUT IRAQI TREATMENT OF CIVILIANS 
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4.  (S)  The Ambassador responded by saying that the U.S. is 
undertaking great efforts to minimize civilian casualties. 
This concern is slowing the war tempo and putting U.S. 
soldiers at greater risk, but it is something we believe we 
must do.  Ultimately, however, it is the Iraqi regime which 
is placing civilians at greater risk by using hospitals, 
schools, and religious sites as storage depots and refuges, 
and by dressing soldiers as civilians.  The Geneva Convention 
was designed to eliminate precisely this risk to civilians in 
wartime. 
 
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...AND MORE ON THE MEPP WOULDN'T HURT EITHER 
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5.  (S)  Abul Ragheb and Muasher then launched into the need 
for the U.S. to reinvigorate the Middle East Peace Process 
following the war.  The first step must be to strengthen new 
Palestinian PM Abu Mazen, and to convince Israel to do the 
same.  Israel, Abul Ragheb said, must cease its "tough 
actions against Palestinians:"  targeted killings, 
incursions, and house demolitions.  This, more than anything 
else, would strengthen Abu Mazen's hand. 
 
6.  (S)  The Ambassador said Secretary Powell and Assistant 
Secretary Burns are in Brussels and would meet with the 
 
SIPDIS 
Quartet April 3.  He noted that the Secretary had also made a 
strong statement on the need to stop settlement activity in 
front of AIPAC last week.  Muasher and Abul Ragheb criticized 
the AIPAC speech because of its "implied threat" to Syria, 
but admitted that the statement on settlements was positive. 
 
 
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COMMENT 
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7.  (S)  Only about 10 minutes of this hour-long conversation 
dealt with Jordanian criticism of the war in Iraq, and the 
criticism was largely pro-forma.  Abul Ragheb and Muasher 
made it clear that they did not want to alarm the U.S. with 
this demarche:  Jordan's policy would not change.  Convoking 
of the Ambassador, and the new stronger GOJ statements of 
concern for civilian casualties and calls for a quick end to 
the war, are part of a campaign to show Jordanians that their 
government is taking steps to address their concern about 
Iraqis.  Accordingly, following the meeting the GOJ issued a 
statement that the Ambassador had been convoked to hear the 
GOJ's strong views (ref b). 
GNEHM