TFIZOl: AMMAN SITREP 16 (3/28 1200 LOCAL)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001869 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2013 TAGS: AEMR AMGT ASEC CASC CVIS EFIN ETRD IZ JO SUBJECT: TFIZOl: AMMAN SITREP 16 (3/28 1200 LOCAL) REF: A. FBIS GMP2003O327O00269 ¶B. FBIS GMP20030327OOO267 Classified By: Acting DCM Doug Silliman. Reason 1.5 (b,d). -------------- General Overview -------------- ¶1. (C) The Embassy is closed March 28 and 29 for the Jordanian weekend. Given expectations for widespread demonstrations around the country, all American staff (with the exception of those who must come to the Embassy for mission-critical work) have been instructed to remain at "Standfast" until 1800 local. Jordan went on daylight savings time at midnight local March 27-28. Jordan is now at GMT plus three hours. ¶2. (SBU) Because of continued heavy public focus on Jordanian civilian casualties, including the funerals March 27 of four students killed in Mosul, the Ambassador sent a condolence letter to Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher. Text of letter follows: begin text Your Excellency, During the past several days I have seen reports in the media on the deaths of five Jordanian citizens in two separate incidents in Iraq. While the Embassy in Amman has no specific information about these incidents, I want to express my deepest condolences. My sympathies are with the families and friends in this time of sadness. With much respect, Very sincerely yours, /s/ Edward W. Gnehm Ambassador end text. -------------- Consular Issues -------------- ¶3. (U) No new issues. -------------- GOJ Actions/Statements -------------- ¶4. (U) The official Petra News Service reported that King Abdullah issued a directive to the government March 27 to conduct a comprehensive study on the situation of Jordanian students who have returned from Iraq due to the war, to ensure that they continue their studies. He instructed the government to study the possibility of absorbing them at Jordanian public and private universities in case they cannot return to Iraq. According to the report, there were 3,000 Jordanian students at Iraqi universities prior to the onset of hostilities. Of this total, 2,341 have returned to Jordan since the crisis began (ref a). -------------- Security -------------- ¶5. (C) Embassy expects significant demonstration activity following Friday prayers. RSO has coordinated further enhanced security measures with PSD. -------------- Economic and Trade Developments -------------- ¶6. (U) The official Petra News Service reported March 27 that Jordanian vehicles continue passing through Karama check point into Iraq with pharmaceuticals and other commodities. According to the report, one vehicle crossed on March 27, and two vehicles belonging to Medecins Sans Frontiers crossed on March 26. Since the beginning of the war, 224 vehicles carrying a total of 3,480 tons of goods have departed Jordan for Iraq, according to the report (ref b) . -------------- Refugee/Humanitarian Issues -------------- ¶7. (U) No new issues. -------------- Press -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Embassy Press Officer received a call at 2100 local March 27 from Amcit journalist Lisa Barron, who works for CBS Radio and is currently in Amman. She has been in contact with an Amcit journalist named Nate Thayer, who writes for Slate.com and E squire magazine and who is in Baghdad at the Palestine hotel. There appears to be a visa problem. Thayer entered on a tourist visa, but has been filing stories for his publications. According to Barron, discussions appear to be ongoing as to whether Iraq will expel Thayer, alter his visa status, or detain him. ¶9. (SBU) Subsequent to this information, Embassy Crisis Liaison Unit was contacted by James Rupert, Deputy Foreign Editor for Newsday. Rupert, who is in Amman, said he had been told by the Cox News Service Baghdad correspondent, Larry Kaplow, that two Newsday journalists had "gone missing" from the Palestine hotel, apparently taken away by Iraqi security officers. The two Newsday journalists are Matthew McAllester (a UK citizen) and Moises Saman (a Spanish citizen). The other three were Molly Bingham (an Amcit freelance photographer),Philip Robert Latasa (an Amcit peace activist),and Johan Deng Spanner (a Danish photographer). Embassy conveyed information in paras 8-9 to CMS task force lJ-PA at 2130 and 23O0 local via e-mail. ¶10. (SBU) In addition to these reports, Embassy has learned that NPR correspondent Ann Garrols has been unheard-from for two days, according to local sources with whom she regularly communicates. GNEHM