TFIZ01: PM ABUL RAGHEB CONVOKES AMBASSADOR ON

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002029

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ JO
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: PM ABUL RAGHEB CONVOKES AMBASSADOR ON
IRAQI CIVILIAN CASUALTIES, NEED FOR MEPP MOVEMENT

REF: A. FBIS GMP20030402000301


B. FBIS GMP20030403000173

Classified By: Amb. Edward W. Gnehm for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D)

--------------
U.S. MUST DO MORE TO PROTECT CIVILIANS
--------------


1. (S) Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb convoked the
Ambassador April 3 to deliver a message on Iraq. Foreign
Minister Marwan Muasher was present, and PolCouns accompanied
the Ambassador. Abul Ragheb said that Jordan opposed the war
and was not happy that it had started, but needed to be
pragmatic in its approach. "People are angry about the war
and the fact that there was no UN approval." Jordanians
"love the Iraqi people," and are rightfully concerned by the
images of civilian casualties in Iraq. They are therefore
demanding that the GOJ do something about it. The GOJ,
consequently, must ask that the U.S. and UK do more to stop
civilian casualties, end the war as soon as possible, and
provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi population.


2. (S) The final outcome in Iraq will have a large
influence on how Jordanians will ultimately view the
conflict, Abul Ragheb continued. Iraq must remain united,
there must be no civil war, Iraqis must be able to choose
their leadership, and the coalition and the international
community will have to show immediate humanitarian concern.
General Garner, Abul Ragheb said, is being portrayed in the
Arabic media as "a friend of Sharon." This point alone, Abul
Ragheb argued, could doom the legitimacy of the post-war
relief and rebuilding efforts in the eyes of many Arabs. It
will be important to gain UN legitimacy for post-war
rebuilding and governance. "People in Washington" who do not
want a UN role for post-war Iraq, "are very talented in
making you look bad" in the region.


3. (S) After delivering his points, the PM noted that King
Abdullah had given an interview April 2 to the official Petra
news agency in which he had used the word "ghazu" (attack or
invasion) to describe the war (ref a). This new, stronger
language was meant, he said, to address the anger of
Jordanians against the war.

-------------- --------------
U.S. CONCERNED ABOUT IRAQI TREATMENT OF CIVILIANS
-------------- --------------


4. (S) The Ambassador responded by saying that the U.S. is
undertaking great efforts to minimize civilian casualties.
This concern is slowing the war tempo and putting U.S.
soldiers at greater risk, but it is something we believe we
must do. Ultimately, however, it is the Iraqi regime which
is placing civilians at greater risk by using hospitals,
schools, and religious sites as storage depots and refuges,
and by dressing soldiers as civilians. The Geneva Convention
was designed to eliminate precisely this risk to civilians in
wartime.

--------------
...AND MORE ON THE MEPP WOULDN'T HURT EITHER
--------------


5. (S) Abul Ragheb and Muasher then launched into the need
for the U.S. to reinvigorate the Middle East Peace Process
following the war. The first step must be to strengthen new
Palestinian PM Abu Mazen, and to convince Israel to do the
same. Israel, Abul Ragheb said, must cease its "tough
actions against Palestinians:" targeted killings,
incursions, and house demolitions. This, more than anything
else, would strengthen Abu Mazen's hand.


6. (S) The Ambassador said Secretary Powell and Assistant
Secretary Burns are in Brussels and would meet with the

SIPDIS
Quartet April 3. He noted that the Secretary had also made a
strong statement on the need to stop settlement activity in
front of AIPAC last week. Muasher and Abul Ragheb criticized
the AIPAC speech because of its "implied threat" to Syria,
but admitted that the statement on settlements was positive.


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


7. (S) Only about 10 minutes of this hour-long conversation
dealt with Jordanian criticism of the war in Iraq, and the
criticism was largely pro-forma. Abul Ragheb and Muasher
made it clear that they did not want to alarm the U.S. with
this demarche: Jordan's policy would not change. Convoking
of the Ambassador, and the new stronger GOJ statements of
concern for civilian casualties and calls for a quick end to
the war, are part of a campaign to show Jordanians that their
government is taking steps to address their concern about
Iraqis. Accordingly, following the meeting the GOJ issued a
statement that the Ambassador had been convoked to hear the
GOJ's strong views (ref b).
GNEHM