Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN1869
2003-03-28 08:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

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

Tags:  AEMR AMGT ASEC CASC CVIS EFIN ETRD IZ JO 
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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
----------------

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