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) -------------- SUMMARY AND COMMENT -------------- ¶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. -------------- COOPERATION, BUT NOT RECOGNITION -------------- ¶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." -------------- JORDAN TO HELP GC WITH ARAB LEAGUE -------------- ¶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." -------------- IN PRIVATE, GC RAISES ASSETS, INFILTRATIONS -------------- ¶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. -------------- GC LESS THAN HAPPY WITH RECEPTION IN EGYPT -------------- ¶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. HALE