JORDAN TO WORK WITH, BUT NOT "RECOGNIZE," IRAQI

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005497

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2013
TAGS: PREL EAID IZ JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN TO WORK WITH, BUT NOT "RECOGNIZE," IRAQI
GOVERNING COUNCIL

REF: A. CAIRO 7212

B. CAIRO 7254

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

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SUMMARY AND COMMENT
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1. (C) Speaking to a visiting delegation of Iraqi Governing
Council members August 25, PM Abul Ragheb and FonMin Muasher
pledged to work with the GC, but said formal recognition
would be premature. Both urged the GC to work to expand ties
with Iraq's neighbors, and said they hoped the GC was the
first step toward a sovereign Iraqi government. They also
emphasized the need for the GC to extend deeper roots in
Iraqi society, and said its success or failure would be
judged by progress in this regard. FonMin Muasher's Office
Director said GC members expressed some unhappiness with
their reception in Egypt and at the Arab League. The GOJ
played up the GC's visit here publicly as the first step
toward restoring normal Jordanian-Iraqi relations, almost
certainly with an eye to reestablishing the preferential
trade and oil relations Jordan enjoyed with the previous
regime -- while making clear that formal recognition was
premature, a gesture to domestic sentiment of uneasiness
toward the coalition forces present in Iraq. END SUMMARY AND
COMMENT.

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COOPERATION, BUT NOT RECOGNITION
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2. (U) Four members of the Iraqi Governing Council (GC),
led by the GC's rotating leader, Ibrahim Jafari, and
including GC members Adnan Pachachi, Ghazi al-Yawar, and
Barak Abu Sultan, visited Amman August 25 and met with Prime
Minister Ali Abul Ragheb and Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher.
The meeting received prominent press coverage August 26,
with photos and page 1 above the fold coverage in all major
dailies.


3. (U) Following the meeting, FonMin Muasher told the press
that the GOJ had "declared Jordan's readiness to cooperate
positively with all the political forces in Iraq and with the
Council. We are not speaking of recognition as this would be
premature now. We are speaking of dealing with the Council
in a positive manner." Muasher commented that Jordan would
"provide the Iraqi people with every possible assistance."
Muasher said he hoped the GC would succeed and "lead to an
Iraqi government which represents the Iraqi people."

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JORDAN TO HELP GC WITH ARAB LEAGUE
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4. (U) Muasher told the press that the GC delegation had
asked for Jordan's assistance in securing representation at
the upcoming September 9-10 meeting of Arab League foreign
ministers. Muasher said that Jordan would make contacts "so
that Iraq will be represented at the September meeting of the
Arab League."


5. (U) PM Abul Ragheb told the press that he had pledged to
continue "the strong Jordan-Iraq political, economic, and
humanitarian cooperation." He said he had urged the GC
members to speed adoption of "laws and legislation within the
framework of a constitution that regulates Iraq's relations
with neighbors, especially in the economic and trade fields."
He also encouraged the GC to assume responsibility for
running the day-to-day affairs of Iraq "so that they win the
support of the Iraqi people."

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IN PRIVATE, GC RAISES ASSETS, INFILTRATIONS
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6. (S) PM Abul Ragheb told the Charge and EconCouns August
28 that the GC visit had been very positive. Abul Ragheb
said he told the group that he looked forward to the day when
Jordan could recognize them as Iraq's legitimate government,
and, in that regard, he recommended that the GC try to be
more active in developing links to the Iraqi people. Abul
Ragheb reported that the GC members had asked about frozen
Iraqi assets in Jordan (septel),and had raised general
concerns over infiltrations across the Jordanian border.
Abul Ragheb said he pledged full Jordanian cooperation in
dealing with any border issues. He concluded by saying that
the GC members had described Amman as "the best stop" on
their recent Arab itinerary.

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GC LESS THAN HAPPY WITH RECEPTION IN EGYPT
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7. (C) In a conversation with House Appropriations
Committee staffers Scott Lilly and David Morrison August 27,
FonMin Muasher's Private Office Director, Ali al-Ayed, said
that the visiting GC members had expressed unhappiness with
their reception in Egypt and by the Arab League (contrary to
refs). According to Ayed, the GC members complained that the
Egyptians "would not even describe the group as a delegation
from the GC," but instead insisted publicly and privately
that they were receiving the GC members as "individuals."
Ayed also told the StaffDel that Jordan was not particularly
happy with the inclusion of INC leader Ahmed Chalabi in the
GC, but this fact would not change the GOJ's decision to deal
with the GC. Ayed emphasized that Jordan would do all it
could to deal with the GC and facilitate its work. The key
to success in Iraq, Ayed said, is involving Iraqis in
governing Iraq. The GC is therefore a good step in the right
direction.
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