Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN2400
2003-04-21 14:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

TFIZ01: JORDAN SEEKS U.S. ASSISTANCE TO RETURN

Tags:  PREL MOPS 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 AMMAN 002400 

SIPDIS

CENTCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2013
TAGS: PREL MOPS IZ JO
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: JORDAN SEEKS U.S. ASSISTANCE TO RETURN
SOME DIPLOMATIC STAFF TO BAGHDAD

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002400

SIPDIS

CENTCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2013
TAGS: PREL MOPS IZ JO
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: JORDAN SEEKS U.S. ASSISTANCE TO RETURN
SOME DIPLOMATIC STAFF TO BAGHDAD

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


1. (C) During a meeting with the Ambassador and PolCouns
April 20, Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher and Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs Shaher Bak asked for USG assistance
in helping the GOJ reopen its Embassy in Baghdad. Muasher
said that Jordan wished to return the Ambassador and some
diplomatic staff. He said the Embassy staff will be needed
to provide administrative and logistical support to the
Jordanian Army field hospital that will be set up this week.
Muasher asked that Coalition forces provide safe passage into
Baghdad for Jordanian diplomatic staff on Wednesday, April

23. MinState Bak said that Jordan was preparing to provide
security for its Embassy compound (where the entire staff
would reside in the short term). He noted that Jordanian
Embassy staff in Baghdad would also want to coordinate with
Coalition forces on the ground regarding security conditions
in Baghdad, particularly between the Embassy and the site of
the field hospital. Muasher mentioned that "the Kurds" are
asking that Jordan send a second hospital to Mosul.


2. (C) The Ambassador said that the U.S. would work with
Jordan to facilitate the return of Jordanian diplomatic
staff, but could not at the moment provide exact details on
what the U.S. or other Coalition forces would be able to do.
He noted that conditions within Baghdad are improving day by
day, but said there remains some risk in sending personnel in
to Baghdad.


3. (C) Following the meeting, we coordinated with Task
Force - West (TF-W) on options for assisting Jordanian
diplomatic personnel to return to Baghdad. The U.S. military
over the weekend declared the Amman-Baghdad highway
permissive from the Jordanian border to just west of
ar-Ramadi. We are exploring with the GOJ several options,
such as including the diplomats in other large convoys, or
flying them into Baghdad airport on a Royal Jordanian Air
Force (RJAF) C-130 along with other Jordanian supplies and
humanitarian donations.


4. (C) COMMENT: We believe that the presence of a
Jordanian Embassy and a Jordanian Army field hospital in Iraq
will provide both humanitarian and political benefits; we,
therefore, want to help facilitate the return of diplomatic
personnel to provide support. We will continue to work with
TF-W and the GOJ to arrange the return of Jordanian
diplomats.
GNEHM