FOLLOW UP ON RJ FLIGHTS TO IRAQ: FONMIN TALKS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 003347

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2007
TAGS: PREL EAIR IZ JO
SUBJECT: FOLLOW UP ON RJ FLIGHTS TO IRAQ: FONMIN TALKS TO
RJ PRESIDENT, MFA SAYS U.S. MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR

REF: A. STATE 112154

B. AMMAN 3130

C. USUN 1531

Classified By: PolCouns Doug Silliman for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Following up on our June 11 demarche on the
frequency and regularity of Royal Jordanian (RJ) flights to
Iraq (ref b),PolCouns met June 20 with Ali al-Ayed, Personal
Assistant to FonMin Muasher, and Samer Naber, MFA Legal
Advisor. Ayed said that, since the June 11 demarche, the
Jordanian Embassy in Baghdad had issued a circular diplomatic
note retracting its earlier note (which had advertised RJ
flights to Amman and offered diplomatic discounts). He said
the issue of RJ flights to Iraq was being discussed "at a
very high level," noting that FonMin Muasher had spoken to RJ
President Samer Majali about it earlier this week. Ayed said
the GOJ had heard the U.S. message "loud and clear" and had
no intention of violating the UN sanctions regime on Iraq.


2. (C) PolCouns reminded Ayed and Naber that it was not
only the advertising of the flights, but their regularity and
frequency, that had raised concerns in Washington. He hoped
that the GOJ would take these USG concerns into consideration
in their internal deliberations.

Gnehm