DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH JORDAN'S KING

S E C R E T AMMAN 005876

SIPDIS

NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2014
TAGS: PREL MASS MARR JO IZ
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH JORDAN'S KING
ABDULLAH

Classified By: CDA DAVID HALE FOR REASONS 1.5 (b) (d)


1. (C) Summary. King Abdullah stressed to the Deputy
Secretary his commitment to helping U.S. policy

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succeed in Iraq, described his offers of assistance
to the IIG, and expressed concern about Iranian
infiltration there. He emphasized concerns about
instability in Saudi Arabia and the risk of
spillover to Jordan and other neighboring states
and described his need for additional assistance
to improve border controls. End Summary.


2. (C) Deputy Secretary Armitage met King Abdullah on
July 12 for a half hour meeting. Royal Court Minister
Rifai, Acting Foreign Minister al-Majali, and Charge
joined them. The King stressed his intent to maintain
his support for U.S. policy in Iraq; "your success is
our success" there, he said. He was impressed by IIG
Prime Minister Allawi, and said the right political
dynamic had begun. However, the challenges posed by
instability and insecurity in Iraq were acute, and
aggravated by Iranian infiltration. At Iraqi request,
Jordan would be providing 180 military vehicles
(subject to third party transfer approval),in some
cases stripped out of the royal guards' stock. In
addition, the Iraqis would need driver training and
maintenance support. The Jordanians had also offered
to train Iraqi border and customs officials at Trebil,
as they had identified serious deficiencies there.


3. (S) King Abdullah expressed his concern over Syrian
infiltration of weapons and explosives to Jordan.
Some shipments (60-70%) were destined for the West
Bank, others were being stored in Jordan to ship
there later or for undetermined use. Jordan was
witnessing a higher caliber of material, which was
a source of concern. The King also saw a link
between Syrian Military Intelligence and
al-Qaeda/Zarqawi.


4. (S/NF) The King saw a serious threat of instability in
Saudi Arabia, the dimensions of which the leadership there
was only beginning to understand. The security services
were deeply penetrated by al-Qaeda. Abdullah worried
about the flow of extremists into Jordan, noting that
two Saudis and a Yemeni were recently arrested in Jordan
and found to have been interested in potentially
targeting the Iraq police training facility here.
Other states bordering Saudi Arabia would face similar
dangers, but for the most part did not seem to take the
threat seriously. Abdullah said in particular he had
sent a message to King Hamad to try to stiffen
anti-terrorism action in Bahrain. In connection with
Jordan's border security concerns, King Abdullah briefed
the Deputy Secretary on his request for an additional
USD 400 million in supplemental military assistance.
Jordan needed more sophisticated equipment so it could
rely less on manpower and more on technology to control
the Saudi border.


5. (C) In response to a point made by the Deputy
Secretary, the King expressed readiness to secure

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parliamentary ratification of the U.S.-Jordan
extradition treaty. He judged October to be the
best time to do so, to avoid having the treaty
become a point of contention in the upcoming
race for Speaker.


6. (C) At the King's request, the Deputy Secretary
received a briefing from GID Chief Saad Khayr,
which elaborated on security developments in
Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.


7. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.
HALE