C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001638

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2014
TAGS: PREL PARM PTER IZ JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN STRONGLY CONDEMNS TERRORIST ATTACKS IN IRAQ

REF: STATE 47118

Classified By: Political Counselor Doug Silliman for Reasons 1.5 (b), (
d)


1. (C) Acting PolCouns delivered reftel points March 3 to
Manar Dabbas, Acting Director of the Foreign Minister's
Private Office. Dabbas agreed on the need for Arab states to
publicly denounce the March 2 terrorist bombings in Iraq and
noted that King Abdullah had strongly condemned the attacks
in a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Tony
Blair.


2. (U) While in London, the King stated, "We are shocked and
dismayed at the heinous crime that was committed today (March
2) in Iraq," and he further deplored the "targeting of
innocent Shiites to try and create a struggle inside Islam."
In Amman, minister and government spokesperson Asma Khader
told the press, "The government firmly condemns these actions
which target innocent civilians and denounces the use of such
methods, no matter what are the reasons behind them."

Please visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ or through the
Department of State's SIPRNET site.
GNEHM