FONMIN MUASHER PUSHES GME, REGIONAL REFORM, AL SUMMIT

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001293

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL IZ JO
SUBJECT: FONMIN MUASHER PUSHES GME, REGIONAL REFORM, AL SUMMIT
INITIATIVE ON MEPP


Classified By: Amb. Edward W. Gnehm for reasons 1.5 (b) (d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (S) FonMin Muasher told the Ambassador February 18 that
Jordan is suggesting that the Arab League endorse a set of
reform principles that go along with the Greater Middle East
initiative (GME). Muasher was supportive but expressed some
concerns about the GME, hoping that it would not impose ideas
from outside, try to avoid focusing on Islam as a problem (by
including too many non-Arab Muslim countries),and include the
President's vision of a two-state solution to give it greater
regional credibility. He also said that Jordan has drafted a
resolution for the upcoming Arab League (AL) summit to push the
MEPP forward, and which also addresses many Israeli concerns.
He claimed that he has found wide acceptance for the resolution
among other Arab states. Muasher hopes to present the details
of these ideas in Washington in mid-March before the AL Summit
in Tunis at the end of that month. END SUMMARY.

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THE GME AND ARAB REFORM PRINCIPLES
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2. (S) Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher told the Ambassador
and PolCouns February 18 that he had recently argued to
Egyptian FonMin Ahmed Maher and Saudi FonMin Prince Saud al-
Faisal that Arab states must take the GME seriously. He
proposed that the Arab League endorse a set of reform
principles -- including democracy, women's rights, education,
and other key items -- that all Arab states would agree to
adopt. Doing so would give the G-8 and other GME partners
local momentum and initiatives to support. Jordan, he said,
has no problem with reform -- in fact, it is leading reform
efforts in the region. However, each country will reform at
its own pace, and not all will make the swift progress Jordan
has made. An AL-endorsed set of reform principles would fit
with the goals of the GME, give GME ideas greater legitimacy in
the region, and draw each country toward implementing a
specific set of reforms, albeit at its own pace.


3. (S) Muasher outlined three Jordanian concerns regarding
the GME. First, the GME must avoid being seen as imposed from
outside, and therefore should be structured and publicized as a
dialogue. The U.S. and its GME partners should work with
indigenous reformers and ideas to the extent possible. Second,
the GME should avoid steps that will make people in the region
see it as an attack on Islam. While it makes some sense to
include Turkey and Iran in the GME, he argued that the
inclusion of Pakistan and Afghanistan introduces problems from
outside the region and will leave the impression that GME is
focused against Islam and Islamic societies. Third, the GME
cannot ignore the Israeli-Palestinian conflict -- the single
most important issue in the Middle East. Including as part of
the GME the President's vision of a two state solution to the
Arab-Israeli dispute would give it greater legitimacy in the
region and encourage more countries to join and support the
GME.

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PUSHING A STRONGER AL SUMMIT RESOLUTION RE MEPP
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4. (S) Muasher said that Jordan is developing a draft
resolution for the Tunis AL Summit in March to reenergize the
MEPP. The Jordanian draft, he said, contains four important
elements to address U.S. and Israeli concerns: 1) a
condemnation of "bombings" against civilians, 2) support for a
comprehensive and permanent cease-fire including "all the
needed security arrangements;" 3) a reiteration of the AL's
Beirut Summit initiative that lays out in specific terms the
benefits for Israel; and 4) a call for Israel to accept the
roadmap without reservations. Muasher said he had consulted
with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinians, Bahrain, Kuwait,
and Amre Moussa, and described the general reactions as
"surprisingly positive." Bahrain and Kuwait, he claimed,
promised to push for GCC support for the same substance at the
upcoming GCC summit. Muasher said he had not yet shared the
draft with Syria so the Syrians would not get "a head start" in
opposing it. He would let Prince Saud present the ideas to
Syria.

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MUASHER TO FOLLOW UP ALL OF THIS IN WASHINGTON
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5. (S) Muasher said that he hoped to come to Washington March
10-12 -- after the GCC Summit and March 3-4 AL Foreign
Minister's meeting, but before the March 29-30 AL Summit -- to
present the set of reform principles he hopes the AL FonMins
will adopt in Cairo. He also hopes to present a Jordanian
reform plan including "specific programs and timelines" that
Jordan will commit to implementing. He said the Jordanian
cabinet should approve this plan in the near future. (Note:
Subsequent to drafting this cable, we understand that the
FonMin intends to arrive in Washington on March 8 and is
available for meetings through Friday, March 12.)

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COMMENT
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6. (S) Muasher will argue to his Arab colleagues that the GME
idea is gaining strength, and that Arabs should shape its
content as much as possible by setting forth principles of
reform themselves and focusing on indigenous reforms (such as
Jordan's). By gaining endorsement of these ideas in the March
AL Summit, he hopes G-8 leaders will endorse these regional
initiatives rather than presenting ideas entirely from outside
the region. Muasher, citing support from the King, is equally
committed to an AL initiative to bolster the MEPP.

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GNEHM