ASKING GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN TO ACCEPT NEW IRAQI

UNCLAS AMMAN 006734 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMGT CVIS IZ JO SUBJECT: ASKING GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN TO ACCEPT NEW IRAQI DIPLOMATIC AND OFFICIAL PASSPORT REF: STATE 294152 ¶1. (U) On October 20, Consul and Political Counselor met with Mr. Ali al-Ayed, Director of Foreign Minister Muasher's Private Office, and Basheer al-Zoubi, MFA Private Office action officer on Iraq to present reftel talking points and non-paper on Government of Jordan (GOJ) recognition of new Iraqi diplomatic and official passports. Neither official offered a definitive view, but undertook to contact the Embassy once a position had been developed. ¶2. (U) The Ambassador had raised this issue with Foreign Minister Muasher on October 19, asking that Jordan, like the U.S., recognize the new Iraqi passports. Muasher was encouraging but said that the experts would have to answer our specific demarche when Ambassador noted that emboffs would meet with his staff the following day. GHEHM