US embassy cable - 03AMMAN4491

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PM AND CABINET RESIGN; MINOR RESHUFFLE IN THE WORKS

Identifier: 03AMMAN4491
Wikileaks: View 03AMMAN4491 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Amman
Created: 2003-07-21 15:28:00
Classification: SECRET
Tags: PGOV PREL ETRD PINR JO
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

S E C R E T AMMAN 004491 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ETRD, PINR, JO 
SUBJECT: PM AND CABINET RESIGN; MINOR RESHUFFLE IN THE WORKS 
 
REF: AMMAN 04332 
 
Classified By: CDA DAVID HALE FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
AS EXPECTED...KING ASKS PM TO FORM NEW CABINET 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
1. (S) PM Abul Ragheb on July 19 submitted the resignation of 
his cabinet.  King Abdullah on July 20 asked him to form a 
new Cabinet.  In a conversation with the Ambassador on July 
13 (see Reftel), the King said this reshuffle would be minor 
and entail the change of just a few ministers.  New Lower 
House Speaker Srour told the Charge on July 21 that he had 
consulted with the PM on the new government.  The PM told him 
the new cabinet would have only 4-5 changes (per reftel, the 
King has in mind an even lower number).  The PM can submit 
the new government to Parliament for approval within 30 days; 
and there is speculation he will do so within a day or two. 
Srour expected 4-5 days of floor debate in the Lower House 
before a vote. 
 
-------------------- 
FEW CHANGES EXPECTED 
-------------------- 
 
2. (C) According to Srour, the PM said he would split the 
Tourism and Transport portfolios--currently headed by one 
minister.  A trade contact told Econoff that Finance Minister 
Secretary General Mohammad Abu Hammour will replace Trade 
 
SIPDIS 
Minister Saleh al-Bashir.  According to a senior official at 
the Ministry of Information, Nabil al-Sharif, editor of the 
Arabic daily al-Dustour, will become the new Information 
Minister.  The Jordan Times reported on July 21 that Foreign 
Minister Muasher, Justice Minister Faris Nabulsi, Finance 
Minister Marto, Planning Minister Awadullah, and Water and 
Irrigation Minister Nasser would retain their Cabinet 
positions.  The local Arabic press speculated that Mohammad 
Halaiqa--who served previously as the Minister of National 
Economy--might return as Deputy Prime Minister and that 
Khalid Touqan, the current Minister of Education, might be 
departing. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
3. (C) Post expects no policy shifts to result from the 
reshuffle and only a small number of relatively minor Cabinet 
positions to change hands. 
HALE 

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