JORDANIAN FM MUASHER AND RUSSIAN FM IVANOV DISCUSS

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 004389 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2013 TAGS: PREL KPAL IS IZ JO MEPP SUBJECT: JORDANIAN FM MUASHER AND RUSSIAN FM IVANOV DISCUSS ROADMAP, IRAQ REF: A. AMMAN 04361 ¶B. AMMAN 04313 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires David Hale for Reasons 1.5 (B)&(D). ¶1. (C) Charge and PolCouns met July 15 with Ali al-Ayed, Director of Foreign Minister Muasher's Private Office, and Samer Dabbas, the Private Office Iraq action officer. In addition to discussions on the formation of the Iraqi Governing Council (reported ref a),Ayed gave a read-out on Muasher's July 14 talks with Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov. According to Ali, Ivanov recounted his recent meetings with both PNA Prime Minister Abu Mazen and PNA President ARAFAT and said that in his opinion, the two Palestinian leaders differed on the means to implement the roadmap, rather than on the roadmap itself. Ivanov recognized, however, that Arafat was trying to &maneuver8 in order to gain position over Abu Mazen. ¶2. (C) For his part, Muasher raised with Ivanov his proposed &Arafat package,8 i.e., his plan for the international community to accommodate ARAFAT so as to prevent ARAFAT from undermining Abu Mazen, and his ambitious ideas to push forward the roadmap. (Note: all these proposals were reported ref b notal.) Muasher pressed Russia to work with the Quartet to gain concessions from Israel on: a) release of Palestinian prisoners; b) dismantling of Israeli settlements; and c) improved living conditions for the Palestinian people. Muasher further asked Ivanov to work on the Syrians to be "more proactive on their support of the roadmap8 and to stop seeking a separate roadmap for Syria/Lebanon. ¶3. (C) While talk of the peace process had dominated their discussions, Ayed noted that Muasher and Ivanov had briefly discussed Iraq, agreeing to coordinate statements at a July 14 joint press conference cautiously welcoming the new Governing Council. At the conference, Ivanov described the Council as &a step on the right track,8 although he also remarked that, &This step must be followed by others which would allow the creation of a legitimate authority in Iraq.8 Muasher similarly deemed the Council as &a positive step, hopefully towards the formation of a government elected by the Iraqi people and that would transcend sectarian representation.8 ¶4. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. HALE