Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN4744
2002-08-22 06:58:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

MEETING WITH STEAMED FORMER PRIME MINISTER TAHIR

Tags:  PREL KPAL IS 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 004744 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2012
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS JO
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH STEAMED FORMER PRIME MINISTER TAHIR
AL-MASRI


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

-------
SUMMARY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 004744

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2012
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS JO
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH STEAMED FORMER PRIME MINISTER TAHIR
AL-MASRI


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

--------------
SUMMARY
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1. (C) In a meeting with former Prime Minister Tahir al-Masri
on August 18, a visibly angry al-Masri complained about the
recent U.S. treatment of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and
encouraged the U.S.--before any movement against Iraq--to
pressure the Israelis to withdraw from Areas A and improve
the humanitarian situation on the ground for the
Palestinians. We report al-Masri's comments as illustrative
of an emerging theme in Jordan -- that the U.S. is "targeting
a number of Arab countries with large populations or economic
importance," in the words of one editorial. End Summary.

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WHY ARE YOU ATTACKING YOUR ALLIES?
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2. (C) Al-Masri started the meeting by asking Poloff why the
U.S. is attacking two of its closest allies--Egypt and Saudi
Arabia. Al-Masri pointed to two recent issues that have made
the press here--the lawsuit launched against several Saudi
NGOs and members of the Royal family, and the U.S. decision
not to request supplemental funds for Egypt because of the
case of human rights activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim. Al-Masri
refused to believe Poloff's explanation that the USG had no
control over the civil lawsuit launched by private Amcits,
saying that the USG could have done something for the Saudis.
As further evidence of hostile U.S. intentions towards Saudi
Arabia, he showed Poloff a Salon.com article which portrays
the administration as only slightly less antagonistic towards
Saudi Arabia than Iraq. On the Saad Eddin Ibrahim issue,
al-Masri complained that the U.S. is putting both countries
in a terrible position vis a vis Iraq and the Palestinian
situation.

-------------- --------------
PALESTINE: PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE YOU HIT IRAQ
-------------- --------------


3. (C) Al-Masri calmed down a bit to talk about the issue of
Iraq. Al-Masri told Poloff he was convinced that the U.S.
intends to launch an attack--it was a question of when, not
if. Al-Masri suggested that to temper the reaction in Jordan
to U.S. military action, the U.S. should pressure the
Israelis to withdraw from Area A and improve the humanitarian
situation on the ground in the West Bank (i.e. lift the
curfew). Al-Masri predicted that by doing so, "it will be
much easier for the U.S. to go after Iraq."


4. (C) Al-Masri became riled again discussing the
deteriorating situation in the West Bank, particularly the
declining living conditions which were "taking a terrible
toll on everyone." He reiterated his support for the
President's June 24 speech, but doubted Sharon's commitment
to the President's goal of a two-state solution and believed
Sharon was doing all he could to undermine the peace effort.
Since the speech, according to al-Masri, "the Palestinians
have done everything the U.S. has asked of them...but each
time Sharon says no." Al-Masri commented that Palestinian
Jordanians were seething about recent Israeli actions in the
West Bank, but had no outlet to express their emotions.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


5. (C) Al-Masri, who is often acerbic but seldom emotional,
was striking a theme which we are hearing in the press and
from a variety of sources -- that the U.S. is "targeting" a
number of Arab countries, including allies like Egypt and
Saudi Arabia, as part of a strategy for the region. In the
words of an editorial in "Dustour," "All this means...a
serious negative turning point in the course of Arab-American
relations, especially in the Arab countries that are
classified as allies of the United States...The only
beneficiary" is Israel, which supposedly is encouraging an
attack on Iraq and "instigating" the U.S. against Egypt and
Saudi Arabia. To some degree, this perspective is simply a
variant on the widespread perception that the U.S. has a
fundamentally anti-Arab bias in policy. To the extent,
however, that Jordanians come to believe that the U.S. is
dismissive even of its friends in the Arab world, American
credibility suffers across the board.
GNEHM