US embassy cable - 95RIYADH3041

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 003041 
 
 
E.O.12356: DECL:  7/5/05 
TAGS:  PREL, SA, JO 
SUBJECT:  FM SAUD AL-FAISAL: RELATIONS WITH JORDAN 
"MOVING ALONG" 
 
1.  CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
2.  IN JULY 4 MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR, FOREIGN MINISTER 
SAUD AL-FAISAL CHARACTERIZED SAUDI-JORDANIAN RELATIONS 
AS HAVING IMPROVED SOMEWHAT, "THEY ARE MOVING ALONG," 
AND "I THINK WE'LL SEE MORE."  HE CONFIRMED THAT THE 
SAUDIS INTEND TO SEND AN AMBASSADOR TO AMMAN, "PERHAPS 
NEXT MONTH," AND "IN THE MEANTIME, WE WILL HAVE A 
VISITOR FROM JORDAN, PERHAPS THE FOREIGN MINISTER." 
 
3.  IN THE SAME BREATH, SAUD CAUTIONED THAT THE TWO 
SIDES NEED TO "REVIEW WHAT HAPPENED, AND EXAMINE THE 
DAMAGE TO RELATIONS, SO AS TO AVOID A REPETITION IN THE 
FUTURE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST."  SAUD EXPRESSED 
HOPE THAT SUCH A REVIEW WOULD PRODUCE A POSITIVE 
ASSESSMENT, AND HE ADDED, "WE HOPE JORDAN WILL CHANGE 
ITS POLICY IN THE REGION."  THERE IS NO PROBLEM BETWEEN 
SAUDI ARABIA AND JORDAN ON THE PEACE PROCESS, WHICH BOTH 
SUPPORT, BUT "THE ONE PROBLEM" IS HOW THE JORDANIANS ARE 
PURSUING THE ISSUE OF IRAQ. 
 
4.  SAUD PROFESSED NOT TO UNDERSTAND WHY KING HUSSEIN 
HAS TO TAKE POSITIONS SUPPORTIVE OF IRAQ IN HIS FIRST 
MEETINGS IN FRANCE.  WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAILS OF WHAT 
KING HUSSEIN TOLD THE FRENCH, HE SAID THAT THERE ARE 
WAYS AND WAYS TO DEAL WITH ISSUES.  SAUD ASKED 
RHETORICALLY WHETHER THE INTERESTS OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE 
COULD BE SECURED BY GIVING SUPPORT TO THE IRAQI REGIME. 
CONCLUDING, HE STATED THAT IT WOULD BE JUSTIFIABLE IF 
JORDAN WANTED TO ACCUSE THE IRAQI REGIME AND THEN TRY TO 
HELP THE IRAQI PEOPLE THROUGH HUMANITARIAN CHANNELS 
ALLOWED BY THE SANCTIONS REGIME. 
 
5.  COMMENT:  IT APPEARS THAT SAUDI RELATIONS WITH 
JORDAN AT LAST ARE BEGINNING TO MOVE IN THE RIGHT 
DIRECTION.  SAUD'S BLUNT CONCERNS ABOUT PERCEIVED 
JORDANIAN SUPPORT FOR THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT INDICATE, 
HOWEVER,  THAT A GOOD DEAL OF WORK REMAINS BEFORE A NEW 
CHAPTER CAN BE WRITTEN. 
 
 
KATTOUF