US embassy cable - 03AMMAN2504

UNCLAS AMMAN 002504 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ECON, KPAO, OVIP, JO 
SUBJECT:  JORDAN TO HOST SPECIAL WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM 
MEETING 
 
1.  Post received original letters from King Abdullah to 
President Bush, NSA Rice, Secretary Powell, USTR 
Zoellick, Administrator Natsios, and Senator John Kerry, 
inviting them to participate in an extraordinary meeting 
of the World Economic Forum (WEF) to be held in Jordan 
June 21-23.  The theme of the meeting is "Aligning 
Visions for a Shared Future."  Planning Minister Bassem 
Awadallah, who is taking the lead in organizing the 
government of Jordan for this event, said that the idea 
was to have a peace summit in the wake of the liberation 
of Iraq.  It would be different from the annual Davos 
meetings in that the focus would be more on politics than 
on economics, he said.  Awadallah also explained that the 
overall list of invitees had been prepared by the WEF 
secretariat, which had asked the King to help encourage 
 
SIPDIS 
some specific high-level participants to attend. 
 
2.  Following is the text of the body of the King's 
letter, which was identical for each of the six 
recipients.  Post has faxed copies to NEA/ARN and will 
also pouch the originals to NEA/ARN for distribution to 
addressees. 
 
Begin text. 
 
On behalf of the 1,000 Chief Executives of the member 
companies of The World Economic Forum, I am very pleased 
to extend this personal invitation to join the world's 
leadership for an Extraordinary Annual Meeting to be held 
in Jordan. 
 
From the 21st to the 23rd of June 2003, under the theme 
of "Aligning Visions for a Shared Future," world leaders 
from business, governments and civil society will rally 
by the Dead Sea in Jordan for a comprehensive and top 
level session devoted to boosting global cooperation in a 
time of extreme volatility and economic uncertainty. 
 
Three major tracks will form the bulk of our agenda, 
namely: 
 
   1.  The economic and development agenda of the Middle 
       East; 
   2.  The world's geo political situation; 
   3.  The global business and economic agenda. 
 
Commitments to actively participate in the meeting at the 
highest level have already been confirmed by numerous 
government and business leaders worldwide.  This 
Extraordinary Annual Meeting convenes the "Davos 
Community" in an effort to boost a spirit of cooperation 
rather than confrontation. 
 
Furthermore, the urgency of restoring confidence in our 
common future and systems of global governance, the 
imperative for world business and political leaders to 
lead our citizens out of the current economic downturn, 
increasing the fight against poverty, rebuilding and 
stabilizing the Middle East all need our immediate 
attention more than ever. 
 
Our discussions in Jordan will be followed by the world 
media and should become a powerful symbol for renewing 
our mutual commitments towards a peaceful Middle East and 
global growth. 
 
I very much hope that we will have the pleasure of 
welcoming you to Jordan. 
 
End Text. 
Gnehm