Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04AMMAN3733
2004-05-13 09:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

GOJ PROGRESSING ON PLAN OF ACTION FOR POLITICAL

Tags:  PGOV KDEM PHUM JO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

130906Z May 04
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003733 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2014
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PHUM JO
SUBJECT: GOJ PROGRESSING ON PLAN OF ACTION FOR POLITICAL
REFORM

REF: AMMAN 02729

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

-------
SUMMARY
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003733

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2014
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PHUM JO
SUBJECT: GOJ PROGRESSING ON PLAN OF ACTION FOR POLITICAL
REFORM

REF: AMMAN 02729

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

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) The Ministry of Political Development recently
distributed a draft strategy and plan of action for political
reform to selected diplomatic missions, members of Parliament
(MPs),journalists and NGOs. The plan is relatively
forthright in its assessment of the obstacles to the
development of a democratic culture in Jordan, and contains
objectives that include the adoption of new legislation on
elections, political parties, and women's rights. The
details of implementing these goals remain to be worked out
through a national dialogue with different segments of
Jordanian society. Prime Minister Faisal al-Fayez and other
GOJ officials have already begun a series of meetings with
different groups to discuss the draft, and plan a large
opinion poll and a "national gathering" to gauge popular
expectations. While reformist MPs and others acknowledge the
GOJ's intent to give Jordanians more of a voice in the
political process, they contend that lasting democratic
reform will ultimately depend on whether the Palace is ready
to devolve more authority to Parliament and local governing
bodies. End Summary.

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A PLAN IS BORN
--------------


2. (C) Following up on an earlier draft domestic reform plan
(ref),the Ministry of Political Development & Parliamentary
Affairs has over the past few weeks quietly distributed
copies of a draft "Political Development Strategy and Plan of
Action" to selected diplomatic missions, members of
Parliament, journalists and civil society groups. This
action plan lays out in a somewhat disjointed manner: 1) the
King's vision and general objectives for democratic and
political reforms; 2) problems and challenges to achieving
reform in Jordan; 3) a strategy for developing a political
development program; and 4) mechanisms for implementing
political reforms, including the adoption of legislation.


3. (C) The section on the King's vision closely follows the
Palace's oft-stated commitment to making Jordan a modern,
open and tolerant society based on the rule of law, personal

freedom (including full rights for women),and democracy. A
new element in the document is a frank recognition of some of
the obstacles the country faces in achieving this vision,
including a "culture that rejects opposing opinions," civil
society institutions that focus more on political opposition
than promotion of rights, the pursuit of personal
self-interest over democratic values among politicians, and
the failure of political parties to develop national
platforms that would attract rank and file Jordanians.
Conspicuously absent is any mention of the disparity in power
between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of
government, or the current locus of decision-making authority
far above the grass-roots level.


4. (SBU) The plan envisions a continuing national dialogue
with representatives from all sectors of Jordanian society --
from MPs to academics, journalists to artists -- to develop
and institute specific reforms, stimulate open debate, and
encourage increased public participation in political life.
The document also identifies needed legislation and timelines
for adoption. The legislation includes a new political
parties law that supports the formation of parties that can
attract broad support, a new parliamentary elections law that
expands "the choice of representatives in Parliament," and a
municipal elections law that ends the appointment of local
council members. Also mentioned are laws to strengthen the
National Center for Human Rights and help end discrimination
and violence against women.

--------------
MAKING THE SALES PITCH
--------------


5. (C) During a May 5 meeting at the Ministry of Political
Development (which is short-staffed with rotating employees
on loan from other ministries and without a discrete budget),
PolOffs learned that the Ministry has organized a series of
meetings with different segments of society to discuss the
draft strategy. A gathering with university students, for
example, was held May 10, while meetings with military
figures, women's groups, and religious leaders are on the
future agenda. Ministry contacts also are hoping to hold a
conference around May 20 (possibly with funding from the
Japanese) to formally "introduce" the little-known Ministry
and the draft action plan.


6. (C) Political Development Ministry senior advisor Rabha
Dabbas informed PolCouns May 6 that the Ministry is
finalizing a large opinion poll to ascertain popular
expectations on democratic reform. She also said the
Ministry hopes to cap the process with a "national gathering"
to debate a more finely tuned version of the action plan.
There are no definite dates yet for either the poll or the
meeting.


7. (U) Prime Minister Faisal al-Fayez and other senior GOJ
officials are also helping to galvanize support for
envisioned political development. Fayez, for example, has
met with youth and charitable organizations to underline
their roles in reform. Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad
Halaiqa inaugurated a youth forum on political development
where he told participants that the draft strategy envisions
young people as "active players" in the political arena.
Minister for Political Development Mohammad Daoudiyeh met
April 26 with senior members of the press to promote the
draft political action plan and to highlight the "pivotal
role" of the print media.

--------------
SKEPTICAL MPS
--------------


8. (C) Lower House of Parliament Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali
met with 25 MPs on May 3 to distribute and discuss the draft
political development strategy. MP Mahmoud Al-Kharabsheh
(East Banker - Balqa, 1st District),a frequent government
critic, told PolOff that the meeting ended without any
consensus or decision for future action. According to
Kharabsheh, he and several other MPs were upset that the
action plan, albeit still in draft form, had been developed
thus far without input from Parliament. Kharabsheh said that
some MPs had proposed forming a committee to draft a parallel
political development plan, though he doubted that this would
happen.


9. (C) Kharabsheh conceded that the action plan, if
implemented, might "improve" the political situation in
Jordan and prompt Jordanians to be less passive about
participating in the political process. However, he was
skeptical that it would result in any real change in the way
important decisions were made given the Lower House's
subservience to appointed cabinet ministers and the Palace.
MP Raed Qaqish (Christian East Banker - Balqa, 1st District)
told PolOff that while he thought the Palace and GOJ were
sincere in encouraging Jordanians to "speak out" on domestic
political issues, he wondered if this was "just for show" and
questioned how seriously a government that is not accountable
to voters would listen to citizen concerns.

--------------
INFIGHTING FOR CONTROL
--------------


10. (C) Embassy contacts and press speculation indicate that
the political reform process has caused a rift between the
new Ministry of Political Development and the
long-established Ministry of Interior. Specifically, the
Ministry of Interior has historically had responsibility for
supervising the electoral process and for dealing with
political parties, and is reportedly loathe to entrust
development of new laws on elections and parties to the
Ministry of Political Development. Former Prime Minister
Taher al-Masri told PolOff that while Daoudiyeh and Interior
Minister Samir Habashneh have a long personal relationship,
this has not prevented competition between the two ministries
over ownership of the reform process. Masri also noted
hesitancy and concern over political development plans within
the conservative General Intelligence Directorate (GID).

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


11. (C) The draft strategy represents a step forward on the
way to a final, detailed plan for political and democratic
reforms (albeit government-led). However, it is
characteristic of Jordan's "top down" approach to reform. A
more representative Parliament, broad-based political
parties, and a vigorous civil society as called for by the
strategy could give Jordanians a much greater voice in the
political process. Whether citizens will be able to actually
shape government decisions, however, also depends on whether
the King is willing to grant more authority to governing
bodies directly accountable to the people.

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