GOJ INQUIRES RE STATUS OF OFF CONTRACTS

UNCLAS AMMAN 003829 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD EFIN IZ JO UNSC SUBJECT: GOJ INQUIRES RE STATUS OF OFF CONTRACTS ¶1. (u) This is an action request; see para 4. ¶2. (u) On June 24, Ambassador received a letter dated June 18 from Minister of Industry and Trade Salah Eddin al Bashir inquiring about the status of pending OFF contracts and requesting USG assistance in resolving outstanding claims. Text of letter follows: ¶3. (u) Begin Text: (complimentary opening) I would like to inform you that the Ministry has recently received a number of requests and claims from several Jordanian companies and enterprises calling on us to intervene in resolving an important issue that has recently surfaced pursuant to the latest developments in our region. As you are aware, a number of Jordanian companies have entered into several contracts pursuant to the Security Council's oil-for-food program with the aim of assisting the Iraqi people and providing them with much needed humanitarian aid. The implementation of the said contracts has been suspended for an undetermined period of time despite the fact that they would be of much assistance to the Iraqi people in this transitional phase of their lives. The contracts in question cover a number of vital sectors that directly serve and support the Iraqi people, however, the suspension of same would not only have a negative impact on the people of Iraq but would also have serious implications and drawbacks on a large spectrum of the Jordanian companies, which in some cases rely totally on trade with Iraq, taking into consideration that such companies have already committed themselves to burdensome financial obligations so as to fulfill the obligations set forth therein. Due to the above and with the hope that the foregoing uncertainties would be very soon clarified and resolved, I would really appreciate your Excellency's intervention in resolving this issue by contacting the competent authorities through whatever means you deem appropriate to resume the implementation of the terms and conditions of the contracts that have been entered into before the fall of the Iraqi regime. (complimentary closing) End Text. ¶4. (u) Action request: Post would appreciate Washington guidance regarding the status of outstanding OFF contracts and the mechanism for determining the disposition of these contracts. ¶5. (u) Baghdad minimize considered. GNEHM