Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN2098
2003-04-07 16:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

TFIZO1: AMMAN SITREP 30 (4/07 1530 LOCAL)

Tags:  AEMR AMGT PREL 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 002098 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2013
TAGS: AEMR AMGT PREL ASEC CASC CVIS EFIN ETRD IZ JO
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: AMMAN SITREP 30 (4/07 1530 LOCAL)


Classified By: DCM Gregory L. Berry for reasons 1.5 (B)(D).

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002098

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2013
TAGS: AEMR AMGT PREL ASEC CASC CVIS EFIN ETRD IZ JO
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: AMMAN SITREP 30 (4/07 1530 LOCAL)


Classified By: DCM Gregory L. Berry for reasons 1.5 (B)(D).

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


1. (C) The Embassy is operating on a normal schedule April

7. Consular services are open. Activities at the American
Language Center remain suspended, and there is only
restricted activity by FSN's at the Peace Corps office.
Movements of American staff remain restricted.


2. (SBU) Please note that effective immediately we have
suspended 24-hour coverage at the Embassy's Crisis Liaison
Unit (CLU). Calls can still be answered in the CLU during
regular work hours (962-6-592-0101, ext. 2599, x2366; STU III
962-6-592-7740; FAX 962-6-592-0101). After hours inquiries,
however, will be handled by the Embassy Duty Officer at
962-79-560-9987.

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


3. (U) No new issues.

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


4. (U) Petra, the official government news agency, reports
that during an audience with the chairman and members of the
Executive Committee of Workers Trade Unions, the King
affirmed that he had given instructions to the government to
consider the situation of Jordanian sectors affected by the
continuation of the "war against brotherly Iraq." He also
"reiterated Jordan's clear position of rejection" of the war,
and stated that Jordan "will go on in working to exert our
utmost with friendly and brotherly countries to stop this
war." (Ref FBIS GMP20030406000179)

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


5. (U) As of 1415 hrs, the situation in Jordan remains calm.
A demonstration is planned for 1700 at the King Abdullah
Mosque in Amman and antiwar speeches are scheduled to take
place at the Labor Complex in Irbid starting at 1930.

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


6. (sbu) The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) closed up 2% on
Monday after a day of heavy trading. Industrial stocks
continue to lead the charge, as investors continue to focus
on companies likely to benefit from Iraqi reconstruction.

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


7. (C) The Jordan-Iraq border remains open. IOM reports that
three additional TCNs crossed into Jordan from Iraq on April
6; no new TCN arrivals were reported yet today, April 7.
Still no sign of any Iraqi refugees/asylum seekers, though
Ruweished currently is abuzz with rumors of 1,000 Iraqi
nationals queued up on the other side of the border. CENTCOM
sources have no evidence to confirm such rumors.


8. (C) 22 undocumented Palestinians remain in no-man's land
at the border. UNHCR has begun to press GOJ officials --
both publicly and privately -- to grant temporary entry to
these Palestinians. UNHCR Rep Sten Bronee told refcoord that
the GOJ decided late on April 6 to admit 13 of these
undocumented Palestinians, but UNHCR officials in Ruweished
report that the entire group remains in no-man's land.
UNHCR/Amman is willing to care for these Palestinians at the
refugee camp, arguing that it has a mandate for Palestinians
normally resident outside UNRWA's areas of operation (e.g.,
Iraq). So far, the GOJ has insisted that Palestinians
admitted to Jordan be housed in the TCN transit camp.

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


9. (SBU) The Embassy press office arranged two news
conferences today for the visiting USAID DART Team Leader,
Michael Marx, to highlight the USG's humanitarian efforts:
one for the international press, including ABC, Fox News,
Newsday and others, and the other with Arabic translation for
the local and Arabic regional press.


10. (SBU) Embassy Press office also took local and foreign
reporters to view a warehouse full of prepositioned
commodities bound for Iraq. Abu Dhabi TV and numerous other
Arab and foreign TV teams, plus Petra, the Jordanian National
News Agency, and other major dailies covered the event.
GNEHM