US embassy cable - 03AMMAN4361

S E C R E T AMMAN 004361 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDAN WELCOMES FORMATION OF IRAQI GOVERNING 
COUNCIL "WITH CAUTION" 
 
REF: A. STATE 202537 
     B. AMMAN 2294 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Doug Silliman for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D) 
 
1.  (U)  Charge and PolCouns presented ref a points on 
formation of the Iraqi Governing Council July 15 to Ali 
al-Ayed, the new Director of Foreign Minister Muasher's 
Private Office, and Samer Dabbas, the Private Office Iraq 
action officer.  Charge emphasized that the formation of the 
Council is based on UNSCR 1483, that the council will have 
real authority, and that it is a serious step toward the 
formation of a new Iraqi government. 
 
2.  (S)  Ayed noted that FonMin Muasher on July 14 had 
welcomed the council in a joint press conference with Russian 
FonMin Ivanov (septel).  (Note:  Muasher called the Council 
"a positive step, hopefully towards the formation of a 
government elected by the Iraqi people and that would 
transcend sectarian representation."  end note.)  However, 
Ayed continued, Jordan has several concerns about the Council 
and welcomes it "with caution."  First, Jordan is concerned 
that 13 of the 25 members are Shia, and worries that all 
decisions will be made on a sectarian basis and therefore by 
the Shia majority.  Charge and PolCouns responded that the 
composition of the Council is meant to mirror broadly the 
composition of the Iraqi people.  Second, Ayed argued, Jordan 
does not want the new Iraqi government to be a federation 
which could encourage the future "fragmentation" of Iraq. 
Third, Dabbas said Jordan would have preferred to see more 
technocrats and fewer politicians on the Council.  The Charge 
pointed out that CPA has retained many of the technocrats 
from the previous regime in the senior ranks of the 
ministries.   Finally, Ayed said Jordan would be concerned if 
INC leader Ahmed Chalabi becomes head of the Governing 
Council, reiterating Jordan's legal and political concerns 
about seeing Chalabi in a leadership role in Iraq (ref b). 
 
3.  (S)  COMMENT:  Jordan strongly supports the coalition's 
effort to create a unified, stable, democratic, and 
prosperous Iraq.  The caution with which the GOJ greeted the 
Governing Council is based mostly on Jordanian fears of what 
could go wrong -- especially a fear of the emergence of a 
Shia dominated state on its eastern border. 
 
4.  (U)  Baghdad minimize considered. 
HALE