JORDAN: TRANSFER OF IRAQI ASSETS TO DFI

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 007294

SIPDIS

CPA FOR GEORGE WOLFE
NSC FOR GARY EDSON AND ELLIOTT ABRAMS
TREASURY FOR U/S TAYLOR
TREASURY FOR GENERAL COUNSEL AND IRAQ TASK FORCE
TREASURY OASIA FOR MILLS, DEMOPULOS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2008
TAGS: EFIN ETTC PTER JO IZ
SUBJECT: JORDAN: TRANSFER OF IRAQI ASSETS TO DFI

REF: A. GNEHM/DANIN AND GNEHM/SECHE TELCONS 11/5/03


B. AMMAN 7178

Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm. Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).

Please see Para 3 Action Request.


1. (C) Reconfirming information passed informally to the
White House and State Department on the evening of November 5
(ref a),Deputy Prime Minister Halaiqa told the Ambassador
November 6 that Jordan would make an imminent transfer of
frozen Iraqi assets to the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI).
Halaiqa said the amount would be between $20 million and $25
million.


2. (C) In a separate conversation with ECON/C, Finance
Minister Abu Hammour also confirmed this decision by the
government, stating that the amount to be transferred would
be $25 million. He asked that we provide an account number
and other technical information required to complete the
transfer. Abu Hammour said that other members of the
government's economic team had been reluctant to transfer
these funds, but that he had personally urged Prime Minister
Faisal al-Fayez to approve a transfer in view of "everything
the United States is doing for Jordan."


3. (SBU) Action Request. Please confirm DFI account and
other relevant information to embassy by cable or email
(GoldbergerTH@state.gov).
GNEHM