Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN2478
2002-05-19 15:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

JORDAN AND DEBT ISSUES

Tags:  EFIN JO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002478 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR U/S LARSON FOR MAY 20 MEETING
TREASURY FOR U/S TAYLOR
NSC FOR EDSON/LOWERY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2007
TAGS: EFIN JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN AND DEBT ISSUES

REF: AMMAN 2475

Classified By: AMBASSADOR EDWARD W. GNEHM. REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002478

SIPDIS

STATE FOR U/S LARSON FOR MAY 20 MEETING
TREASURY FOR U/S TAYLOR
NSC FOR EDSON/LOWERY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2007
TAGS: EFIN JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN AND DEBT ISSUES

REF: AMMAN 2475

Classified By: AMBASSADOR EDWARD W. GNEHM. REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) We understand there will be a high-level interagency
meeting May 20 to discuss Jordan's request for debt relief
from the Paris Club in the wake of King Abdullah's visit to
Washington and meetings with the President, Secretary
O'Neill, NSA Rice and other senior U.S. officials. Since
there seemed to be some question about where some of our
partners in the Paris Club stood on this question, we thought
it could be useful to offer the following information.
(Reftel provides additional information on the views of IMF
staff currently in Amman.)


2. (C) After returning to Amman, Ambasssdor Gnehm reviewed
with the French Ambassador and British Charge where their
governments stand at this point on Jordan's request. The
British Charge said that Prime Minister Blair had written a
letter to King Abdullah in March that said HMG "fully
supports another IMF program and new World Bank lending, and
will press for the most generous possible debt rescheduling
for Jordan when it attends the Paris Club later this year."
That letter, according to the Charge, was cleared by the
Finance Ministry and represents his government's policy on
this matter. (Following their meeting, the British Charge
called the Ambassador to say that Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs Straw is likely to be sending out a letter --
one very similar to the Secretary Powell's letter late last
year -- encouraging his counterparts to be supportive of the
Jordanians along the lines of the PM's letter.)


3. (C) The French Ambassador recalled that he had told the
Ambassador before he left for Washington that the French
Government had also decided "in response to U.S. prodding" to
be forthcoming in responding to Jordanian requests. That
decision in Paris had included his Finance Ministry's
approval. He had been instructed to inform the Japanese
Ambassador in Amman of the agreed French position so as to
influence Tokyo to join this "forthcoming" approach. He had
done so. Both the French Ambassador and British charge
emphasized taht Paris and London developed their positions
based on an understanding that Washington wanted to help
Jordan.
Gnehm