SCENESETTER FOR CDR, CENTCOM GENERAL FRANKS' MAY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003047

SIPDIS

S E C R E T NOFORN

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 16/17/12
TAGS: PREL MARR PARM MASS JO
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CDR, CENTCOM GENERAL FRANKS' MAY
24-25, 2003 VISIT TO JORDAN

CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR EDWARD W. GNEHM FOR REASONS 1.5 (A,
B AND D).


1. (C) GENERAL FRANKS: WELCOME BACK TO JORDAN. YOUR VISIT
PROVIDES AN OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP
OF JORDAN FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND
THEIR CONTINUED EFFORT IN AFGHANISTAN, CONGRATULATE THE
CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS ON HIS RECENT PROMOTION TO
GENERAL, AND TO DISCUSS KEY ISSUES REGARDING THE CURRENT
SITUATION IN THE REGION. I AM SURE YOUR DISCUSSIONS WILL HELP
ENSURE THE KINGDOM,S CONTINUED SUPPORT IN THE WAR ON
TERRORISM AND OTHER REGIONAL EVENTS.

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SUMMARY
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2. (C) EMBASSY AMMAN AND YOUR JORDANIAN HOSTS LOOK FORWARD TO
YOUR VISIT TO AMMAN. DURING YOUR VISIT, YOU WILL MEET AND
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS KEY ISSUES WITH THE KING. AS
YOU KNOW YOUR VISIT COINCIDES WITH THE GOJ,S CELEBRATION OF
ITS INDEPENDENCE FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM IN 1946. THERE IS
GREAT SENSE OF RELIEF THAT THE WAR IN IRAQ WAS FAST AND
EFFECTIVE. HOWEVER, YOU WILL BE ARRIVING AT A TIME OF
CONTINUED DOMESTIC FRUSTRATION WITH THE SLOWNESS OF THE
REBUILDING PROCESS AND THE ONGOING VIOLENCE IN THE WEST BANK
AND GAZA. MOST JORDANIANS, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF PALESTINIAN
ORIGIN, REMAIN ACCUTELY CONCERNED ABOUT ISRAEL,S HARSH
TREATMENT OF PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS AND ITS PERCEIVED LACK OF
COMMITMENT TO THE US-PROVIDED ROAD MAP. HOWEVER, THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND JORDAN CONTINUES
TO BE A CLOSE AND COOPERATIVE ONE -- POLITICALLY,
ECONOMICALLY, MILITARILY AND ON INTELLIGENCE ISSUES. JORDAN
HAS LONG BEEN A VOICE OF REASON IN THE MIDDLE EAST, A
SIGNIFICANT MILITARY PARTNER, AND AN IMPORTANT AND RELIABLE
TROOP CONTRIBUTING COUNTRY IN MISSIONS AROUND THE WORLD. ONE
OF JORDAN,S UN PEACEKEEPERS WAS SAVAGELY KILLED IN THE CONGO
THIS WEEK. JORDAN,S &FRONTLINE8 EFFORTS AS A COALITION
PARTNER IN THE WAR AGAINST TERROR AND IN REBUILDING IRAQ
CONTINUE.
END SUMMARY.

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ISSUES THAT WILL ARISE
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3. (S/NF) THE FOLLOWING ITEMS MAY ARISE DURING YOUR
DISCUSSIONS WITH HM AND HIS JAF LEADERSHIP.

- (C) AS ALWAYS, JORDANANIAN LEADERS AND PEOPLE ARE GRACIOUS
HOSTS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE U.S. THEY WILL AFFIRM THEIR
COMMITMENT TO AN ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WITH US AND WILL THANK
YOU FOR AMERICA,S SUPPORT TO JORDAN.

- (S) HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE CONCERNS. JORDAN IS
CONCERNED THAT THE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR IRAQ MAY NOT BE
ADEQUATE. RESOURCE SHORTAGES SUCH AS FUEL, WATER, AND
SHELTER FOR IDPS ARE WATCHED WITH CONCERN BY THE KING,S
CITIZENS.

- (S) TIMING OF CROSS-BORDER ACTIVITIES. JORDAN AGAIN IS
CONCERNED THAT CROSS-BORDER OPERATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE FROM
SYRIA WITH ROCKETS, EXPLOSIVES, AND WEAPONS BEING SENT
ACROSS. THEY WILL SEEK AN ACCELERATION OF THE PLANNED $75
MILLION BORDER SECURITY AID PACKAGE.

- (S) USG REQUESTS OF JORDAN WITH REGARDS TO POST-WAR
ACTIVITIES. JORDAN WOULD WELCOME ANY INSIGHTS INTO POSSIBLE
ROLES THAT THEY CAN PLAY IN POST-WAR IRAQ. THEY HAVE
REQUESTED TO BE ALLOWED TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT IN DEMINING,
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, TRANSPORTATION, INTERPRETERS,
MILITARY AND POLICE EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING, AND MEDICAL
SUPPORT IN IRAQ. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY REMAIN CONCERNED
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF IRAQI OIL SUPPLIES TO JORDAN.
- (C) THE GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN DESIRES TO RESUME THE ROBUST
EXERCISE SCHEDULE THAT THEY HAVE ENJOYED WITH ALL OF THE
CENTCOM COMPONENT COMMANDS. ONGOING AND SCHEDULED PLANNING
CONFERENCES ARE A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DRECTION. THEY PLAN TO
APPLY FOR FUTURE PARTICIPATION IN PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE
ACTIVITIES. IT IS LIKELY THAT THEY WILL DISCUSS REGIONAL
TRAINING EVENTS FOR SOF, F-16S, AND DEMINING AND
PEACEKEEPING. THEY MAY ALSO RAISE THE POSSIBILITY OF HOLDING
FUTURE BRIGHT STAR EXERCISES IN JORDAN.

- (S) THE GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN, WHILE EAGER TO INVOLVE
ITSELF WITH THE REBUILDING OPERATION IN IRAQ, ALSO REMAINS
FOCUSED ON ITS OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN. THEY WILL ROTATE
FORCES IN THAT COUNTRY STARTING ON 22 MAY. THEY WILL BE
INTERESTED IN YOUR VISION FOR THEIR PRESENCE THERE. THEY ARE
INTERESTED ALSO IN SUPPLYING WEAPONS REFURBISHED IN JORDAN TO
THE AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY IF THE USG WILL SUPPORT SUCH AN
EFFORT. THEY ARE SIMILARLY INTERESTED IN US SUPPORT FOR
TRAINING THE ANA IN A WIDE RANGE OF SKILLS WITH USG SUPPORT.

- (C) THEY WILL BE VERY INTERESTED IN ANY LESSONS LEARNED
FROM THE RECENT IRAQ WAR.

- (S) THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP WILL EXPRESS THEIR CONTINUED
SUPPORT FOR THE GWOT. THEY FEAR JORDAN IS LIKELY TO BE ONE
OF THE NEXT TARGET IN THE LATEST SERIES OF AL-QAEDA ATTACKS
AND ARE TAKING ENERGETIC STEPS TO COUNTER THE POTENTIAL
THREAT. THEY WILL SEEK ROBUST CT TRAINING AND INTELLIGENCE
SHARING.


4. (C) THE JTF-W COMMANDER WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE OF
COALITION AND 1003V ACTIONS AS PART OF THE SCHEDULED COUNTRY
TEAM MEETING THE MORNING OF 25 MAY.


5. (C) AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU BACK TO
JORDAN. BEST REGARDS.

GNEHM