Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN8360
2003-12-21 18:03:00
SECRET
Embassy Amman
Cable title:
GERMAN AMBASSADOR ON FISCHER VISIT TO JORDAN:
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T AMMAN 008360
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2013
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS SY JO GE
SUBJECT: GERMAN AMBASSADOR ON FISCHER VISIT TO JORDAN:
MEPP, IRAQ, SYRIA
REF: AMMAN 8242 (NOTAL)
Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm for Reasons 1.5 (b),(d)
-----------------------------
KING TO FISCHER ON MEPP, IRAQ
-----------------------------
S E C R E T AMMAN 008360
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2013
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS SY JO GE
SUBJECT: GERMAN AMBASSADOR ON FISCHER VISIT TO JORDAN:
MEPP, IRAQ, SYRIA
REF: AMMAN 8242 (NOTAL)
Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm for Reasons 1.5 (b),(d)
--------------
KING TO FISCHER ON MEPP, IRAQ
--------------
1. (C) German Ambassador Martin Schneller briefed Ambassador
and PolCouns December 17 on German FonMin Fischer's December
15 visit to Amman. Schneller said Fischer met with King
Abdullah and Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher, who both
delivered a consistent line on Iraq: we support Iraqi
independence and the establishment of a sovereign Iraqi
government, but the Coalition should not leave too soon, lest
Iraq become unstable. On Middle East peace, Schneller said
King Abdullah had expressed to Fischer great frustration with
the Palestinian Authority and Yassir Arafat, whom he
described as having "no strategic vision." Fischer argued to
the Jordanians that all parties needed to take "small steps"
to restore confidence, and to deal with the political aspects
of the dispute.
--------------
... AND SYRIA
--------------
2. (S) Schneller said the King and Muasher spent a good deal
of time making negative points on Syria. The King said
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remained in the grip of the
old guard who surrounded his father, noting that there had
been "no change in the political establishment" since Bashar
came to power. The King also complained about increased
infiltration of militants, arms, and explosives across the
Syrian border into Jordan (bound for Israel, the West Bank,
and, to a lesser extent, Iraq),as well as concern over the
lack of Syrian control of the Syria-Iraq border. The King
also blamed Syria partially for the failure of the recent
Cairo meeting of Palestinian factions to reach agreement on a
ceasefire.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
3. (S) The King's points on the peace process and Iraq
reflect the line the King has been taking with interlocutors.
It strikes us as very useful that the Germans heard the
King's negative views on Arafat. It is also interesting that
the King chose to complain to Fischer about his increasing
irritation with Syria (ref).
Visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman or access the site
through the State Department's SIPRNET home page.
GNEHM
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2013
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS SY JO GE
SUBJECT: GERMAN AMBASSADOR ON FISCHER VISIT TO JORDAN:
MEPP, IRAQ, SYRIA
REF: AMMAN 8242 (NOTAL)
Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm for Reasons 1.5 (b),(d)
--------------
KING TO FISCHER ON MEPP, IRAQ
--------------
1. (C) German Ambassador Martin Schneller briefed Ambassador
and PolCouns December 17 on German FonMin Fischer's December
15 visit to Amman. Schneller said Fischer met with King
Abdullah and Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher, who both
delivered a consistent line on Iraq: we support Iraqi
independence and the establishment of a sovereign Iraqi
government, but the Coalition should not leave too soon, lest
Iraq become unstable. On Middle East peace, Schneller said
King Abdullah had expressed to Fischer great frustration with
the Palestinian Authority and Yassir Arafat, whom he
described as having "no strategic vision." Fischer argued to
the Jordanians that all parties needed to take "small steps"
to restore confidence, and to deal with the political aspects
of the dispute.
--------------
... AND SYRIA
--------------
2. (S) Schneller said the King and Muasher spent a good deal
of time making negative points on Syria. The King said
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remained in the grip of the
old guard who surrounded his father, noting that there had
been "no change in the political establishment" since Bashar
came to power. The King also complained about increased
infiltration of militants, arms, and explosives across the
Syrian border into Jordan (bound for Israel, the West Bank,
and, to a lesser extent, Iraq),as well as concern over the
lack of Syrian control of the Syria-Iraq border. The King
also blamed Syria partially for the failure of the recent
Cairo meeting of Palestinian factions to reach agreement on a
ceasefire.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
3. (S) The King's points on the peace process and Iraq
reflect the line the King has been taking with interlocutors.
It strikes us as very useful that the Germans heard the
King's negative views on Arafat. It is also interesting that
the King chose to complain to Fischer about his increasing
irritation with Syria (ref).
Visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman or access the site
through the State Department's SIPRNET home page.
GNEHM