GOJ PROMISES TO CLAMP DOWN ON RADICAL CLERICS, ACT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 006356

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2014
TAGS: PGOV KISL JO
SUBJECT: GOJ PROMISES TO CLAMP DOWN ON RADICAL CLERICS, ACT
ON OTHER PRIORITIES

REF: A. AMMAN 06215


B. AMMAN 06213

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires David Hale for Reasons 1.5 (b),(d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) Prime Minister Faisal al-Fayez pledged July 22 to
take action on unaccomplished goals identified by King
Abdullah. In accordance with the King's directive to
"improve the living standards of citizens," Fayez promised to
hold a national conference on poverty and unemployment in
September and announced a national recruitment database to
help match job seekers and employers. Fayez further promised
to dismantle barriers to investment, streamline public
administration, and enhance government accountability. In
response to concerns over religious extremism, the Ministry
of Islamic Affairs will continue efforts to "guide" clerics
in promoting tolerance, while the Ministry of Interior plans
to crack down on unlicensed preachers who give sermons that
"challenge" the state or "slander" individuals. The degree
of public airing of the regime's concerns about extremist
Islam within Jordan is unusual, and underscores the
seriousness of this threat. End Summary.

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HEEDING THE KING'S CALL
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2. (U) Reacting to a letter from King Abdullah prodding the
government to move forward on his priorities (see ref b),PM
Fayez issued a public response July 22 pledging to take steps
to meet the King's expectations. To implement the King's
mandate to "improve the living standards of citizens," Fayez
said the government would hold a national conference on
poverty and unemployment in September. He also announced the
launching of a "national recruitment center" which would use
a computerized employment database to help match employers
with those seeking jobs. Additional foreign investment will
be attracted, according to Fayez, by "restructuring"
investment-related institutions and promoting greater
transparency in business deals.


3. (U) Fayez said that a ministerial committee had been
formed to set up a program to implement the King's calls to
modernize the public administration system, decentralize
authority, and enhance government accountability on the use
of public funds. The GOJ plans to conclude a medium-term
strategy on administrative reform in September and will
conduct a comprehensive internal evaluation in November,
Fayez stated. On June 26, the Prime Minister's office
announced the establishment of two new bodies: 1) a
"Secretariat for the Council of Ministers," which will work
to ensure better cooperation between ministries and
streamline government decision-making; and 2) a "Monitoring
and Evaluation Unit" which will track the government's
performance through the preparation of regular reports.

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COMBATING EXTREMISM
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4. (C) Regarding the King's admonition to promote "true
Islam," Fayez announced that the Ministry of Awqaf and
Islamic Affairs would use its Preaching and Guidance Council
to "encourage" mosque preachers to reinforce the ideas of
tolerance and dialogue. In a June meeting with PolOff and
former Ambassador, Minister of Awqaf Hilayel stressed that
his ministry was busy training Muslim preachers in every
governorate to help "guide" them in delivering a "proper"
message. "We know without practice and preparation they may
go off on tangents and make mistakes," Hilayel said.


5. (U) In a closely related move, a Ministry of Interior
circular distributed June 25 issued instructions to governors
to crack down on sermons by unlicensed preachers,
particularly those that "challenge" the state and "slander"
people. Minister of Interior Habashneh advocated taking
legal measures against offenders under applicable legal
codes, both criminal and civil.

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COMMENT
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6. (C) Fayez will have to back his promises with concrete
action if he is to avoid another admonishment from the King.
A renewed focus on reducing the stubbornly high unemployment
rate should appeal strongly to rank and file Jordanians,
while steps to prevent incitement in mosques target palace
concerns over extremist Islam (see ref b).
HALE