Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN6022
2002-10-16 15:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

JORDAN: ROYAL JORDANIAN SEEKS TO DELAY AIRPLANE

Tags:  BEXP EFIN EAIR JO 
pdf how-to read a cable
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 006022 

SIPDIS

USDOC FOR ADVOCACY CENTER - CHRISTOPHER JAMES
USDOC/4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/COBERG
EXIMBANK FOR ROBERT MORIN
TDA FOR HENRY STEINGASS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2007
TAGS: BEXP EFIN EAIR JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: ROYAL JORDANIAN SEEKS TO DELAY AIRPLANE
DECISION


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 006022

SIPDIS

USDOC FOR ADVOCACY CENTER - CHRISTOPHER JAMES
USDOC/4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/COBERG
EXIMBANK FOR ROBERT MORIN
TDA FOR HENRY STEINGASS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2007
TAGS: BEXP EFIN EAIR JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: ROYAL JORDANIAN SEEKS TO DELAY AIRPLANE
DECISION


Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm. Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (c) Samir Hanna, the Boeing VP who has been negotiating
the sale/lease package of nine 737's to Royal Jordanian
Airlines (RJ),reported that RJ CEO Samer al-Majali told him
October 16 that RJ was not able to make a decision between
competing Boeing and Airbus offers, as had been planned for
the first part of this month. Majali asked Boeing to extend
the validity of their current offers and said he was asking
Airbus to do the same. Hanna is currently checking with his
headquarters to if this can be done and for how long.


2. (c) Majali told Hanna that the decision not to make a
decision was reached on the advice of the Jordanian
"government" (presumably the Prime Minister and key
ministers). Majali said the government's advice had been
told to "hold off until we see what happens with Iraq." This
advice was discussed by the RJ Board on October 15.


3. (c) According to Hanna's and local Boeing consultant
Peter Ledger's reconstruction of the sequence of probable
events, such advice most likely came from the government
within the past five days, give or take a day or two. The
board had previously held an informal review of Boeing and
Airbus offers on or about October 2 and Majali briefed King
Abdullah on the state of play shortly thereafter. Hanna and
Ledger had received positive, but noncommittal signals
following the first Board meeting.


4. (c) Comment: While they appreciate the uncertainties
the Jordanians may be feeling over Iraq, Hanna and Ledger
said that a delay could only work to the disadvantage of
Boeing. They said that if RJ's hope was to lease aircraft on
the market instead of making a decision, RJ could find this
more difficult than it might expect given what they said was
RJ's poor payments track record with leasing companies.
Furthermore, leasing companies would not be able to provide
support packages equivalent to that being offered by Boeing.


5. (c) Comment continued: The Ambassador will raise this
matter directly with the King on October 20. Based on that
conversation, we will make appropriate recommendations on
next actions.
GNEHM