Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04AMMAN6669
2004-08-09 13:31:00
SECRET
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON SYRIA-IRAQ BORDER SECURITY

Tags:  ECON ETRD IZ JO PREL PTER SY 
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S E C R E T AMMAN 006669 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2014
TAGS: ECON ETRD IZ JO PREL PTER SY
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON SYRIA-IRAQ BORDER SECURITY

REF: A. SECSTATE 166991

B. AMMAN 06369 (NOTAL)

Classified By: CDA: David Hale, Reason 1.4(b) (d)

S E C R E T AMMAN 006669

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2014
TAGS: ECON ETRD IZ JO PREL PTER SY
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON SYRIA-IRAQ BORDER SECURITY

REF: A. SECSTATE 166991

B. AMMAN 06369 (NOTAL)

Classified By: CDA: David Hale, Reason 1.4(b) (d)


1. (S) Charge delivered reftel points on Syria-Iraq border
security to Royal Court Minister Samir al-Rifai on August 3
and on August 8 to Prime Minister Faisal al-Fayez. Fayez
confirmed he would be traveling to Damascus on August 20 for
a meeting with his counterpart, primarily focused on economic
issues. Both Fayez and Rifai indicated that Jordan strongly
shared our concerns -- these issues are continual themes in
meetings with senior officials here -- and had voiced them to
the Syrian leadership. Unfortunately, Rifai said, the
message fell on deaf ears there.


2. (C) Fayez said his trip, in part, was a response to a
request from the Syrian government for guidance on
establishing modern, functioning, free market banking, trade
and commercial sectors, with appropriate, WTO-compliant
regulations and guidelines. Fayez would be taking with him a
team of experts from the Central Bank, Trade Ministry, and
other agencies involved in Jordan's own economic
transformation plan.


3. (S) COMMENT: The Prime Minister made clear that he would
not be engaging the Syrian government on military/security
issues, although they are a source of considerable irritation
in the bilateral relationship, ref B. He said the border
security issues had been "solved", which seems doubtful
despite a recent trip to Syria by Jordan's Director of
Military Intelligence. Fayez, who is under public pressure
from the King to raise his government's performance on its
domestic agenda, may simply have been told to avoid security
matters when in Syria. He told Charge he would ask the King
whether he, or some other official, should convey our message
to Damascus.


4. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.
HALE