Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN2208
2003-04-12 07:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

TFIZO1: AMMAN SITREP 34 (4/11 1630 LOCAL)

Tags:  AEMR AMGT PREL ASEC CASC CVIS EFIN ETRD IZ JO 
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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 002208 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2013
TAGS: AEMR AMGT PREL ASEC CASC CVIS EFIN ETRD IZ JO
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: AMMAN SITREP 34 (4/11 1630 LOCAL)


Classified By: PolCouns Doug Silliman 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 002208

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2013
TAGS: AEMR AMGT PREL ASEC CASC CVIS EFIN ETRD IZ JO
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: AMMAN SITREP 34 (4/11 1630 LOCAL)


Classified By: PolCouns Doug Silliman for reasons 1.5 (B)(D).

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


1. (SBU) Embassy Amman was closed for the first day of the
local weekend on April 11, and will be closed for the second
day of the weekend on April 12. American staff movements
remain restricted.


2. (SBU) Absent any significant events, Embassy Amman will
take Saturday, April 12 off. Our next sitrep will be on
Sunday, April 13.

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


3. (U) No new developments to report.

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


4. (C) King Abdullah and Queen Rania in a joint interview
with the official Petra news agency April 10 said that it is
the duty of every Jordanian to assist the Iraqi people and to
support efforts to provide necessary aid to Iraqis. The King
called on the army to set up a field hospital to treat Iraqi
wounded, and said he might ask the army to set up a second as
well. The King told the Embassy that he wants the hospital
to be in Iraq, probably at ar-Ramadi on the Amman-Baghdad
highway. The King also ordered that a number of injured
Iraqis be brought to Jordan for medical treatment as soon as
it is safe for them to make the journey. Information
Minister Mohammed Adwan said that first priority of Jordan
should be to help Iraqis "overcome this predicament." He
declared that the Iraqi people must be the ones to determine
their own future.

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


4. (U) Police report that the situation was calm throughout
Jordan April 11.

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


5. (C) FM Marwan Muasher April 10 again publicly denied
reports that Jordan is talking to Israel about the
possibility of re-opening the Mosul-Haifa oil pipeline.
Speaking to al Jazeera, Muasher said warming of relations
between Jordan and Israel would be contingent upon further
movement on the Roadmap. Energy Minister Batayneh reiterated
Muasher's denial to local press, noting the pipeline has been
out of use since 1948. According to the local Arabic daily
Al Rai on April 10, portions of the line are in serious
disrepair, and other portions are currently being used to
convey water. Visual inspection of the line by ECON FSN
confirmed a pipeline in seriously dilapidated condition. It
is unlikely to be feasible to re-open the line (a 12-inch
line with a likely capacity of only 200,000 bpd that would
need wholesale rehabilitation),though an argument could be
made in the future to construct a new line.

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


6. (U) UNHCR reports a small trickle of TCNs into Jordan
April 10-11, but was unable to provide specific numbers or
nationalities.

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


7. (U) Post understands that a group of journalists who
crossed the Jordan-Iraq border late afternoon on April 10 on
its way to Baghdad, including CBS anchor Dan Rather and
several other Amcits, has arrived safely in Baghdad. Another
group of journalists, including several Amcits, crossed the
border early April 11 and are reported to be at a 101st
Airborne checkpoint short of Baghdad. We also understand
that some other journalists of undetermined nationality
crossed the Jordan-Iraq border headed for Baghdad later on
April 11, but we have no information on there whereabouts.
GNEHM