Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN1803
2003-03-26 06:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

TFIZO1: AMMAN SITREP 12 (3/26 0800 LOCAL)

Tags:  AEMR AMGT ASEC CASC CVIS IZ 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 SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001803 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2013
TAGS: AEMR AMGT ASEC CASC CVIS IZ JO
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: AMMAN SITREP 12 (3/26 0800 LOCAL)

REF: A. (A) FBIS GMP20030325000248

B. (B) ABU DHABI 1384

C. (C) FBIS GMP20030325000316

D. (D) FBIS GMP20030325000335

Classified By: Acting DCM Doug Silliman. Reason 1.5 (b,d).

----------------
General Overview
----------------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001803

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2013
TAGS: AEMR AMGT ASEC CASC CVIS IZ JO
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: AMMAN SITREP 12 (3/26 0800 LOCAL)

REF: A. (A) FBIS GMP20030325000248

B. (B) ABU DHABI 1384

C. (C) FBIS GMP20030325000316

D. (D) FBIS GMP20030325000335

Classified By: Acting DCM Doug Silliman. Reason 1.5 (b,d).

--------------
General Overview
--------------


1. (SBU) The Embassy continues on a normal schedule March 26.
Consular services are open. Activities at the American
Language Center and Peace Corps remain suspended. Movements
for American staff remain restricted.

--------------
Consular Issues
--------------


2. (U) No new issues.

--------------
GOJ Actions/Statements
--------------


3. (U) On March 25 Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan
accused the Government of Jordan of "stopping" the
importation of oil from Iraq and thus depriving King Abdullah
of his "reward" from the Iraqi regime (ref A). Ramadan
attacked Jordan for expelling its "diplomats," and asked if
Jordan had not turned into a "front for the US aggression."


4. (U) Jordanian Minister of Industry and Trade Salah
Basheer and Minister of Information Mohammed Adwan stated at
a joint press conference March 25 that the GOJ and King
Abdullah, had exhausted all possible means to avoid war and
to come to a peaceful solution. Basheer said the flow of
commodities to Iraq from Jordan is "normal" and denied the
GOJ had "frozen" Iraqi assets in Jordanian banks. He also
said the GOJ would allow the three expelled Iraqi diplomats
to be replaced by new ones. As for the oil, Adwan said that
the security issue posed by the "current circumstances" make
it unsafe for Jordanian truckers to go into Iraq. He said
the GOJ has yet to import oil from other countries, but that
"brotherly Arab countries" had promised to meet Jordan's oil
demand (ref B).


5. (U) In a press conference on March 25, Jordanian Foreign
Minister Marwan Muasher stated that "His Majesty King
Abdullah II continues exerting efforts to stop war on Iraq."
Commenting on the expulsion of five Iraqi diplomats, Muasher
said that "the reasons were not an American dictate," adding
that Jordan is "ready to receive new diplomats." On the
subject of Jordanian trade with Iraq, Muasher said that the
Oil For Food program was stopped due to the departure of UN
officials from Iraq due to the war, and noted that Jordan is
urging the UN to set up new measures by which the Oil for
Food program can be resumed. (ref C)


6. (U) Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri sent a letter to
Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher March 25, which was
read by an announcer on Iraqi Satellite Television, noting
his surprise at the expulsion of five Iraqi diplomats from
Jordan. In the letter, Sabri states: "You know that the
so-called charges against our embassy employees are pure lies
and are groundless." He notes, in particular, that Jordanian
"intelligence officials escorted First Secretary
Adb-al-Razzaq Iyad Ahmad in an uncivilized manner from his
house in Amman and beat him up," adding that "we have no idea
about his whereabouts." Finally, he states: "This action is
a blatant violation of pan-Arab values and neighborly
relations between our two countries," and points out "we
strongly denounce that these measures of yours come in
implementation of a disgraceful wish." (ref D)

--------------
Security
--------------


7. (U) No new issues.

--------------
Economic and Trade Developments
--------------


8. (U) No new issues.

--------------
Refugee/Humanitarian Issues
--------------


9. (U) No new issues.

--------------
Press
--------------


10. (U) No new issues.
GNEHM