GOJ REFORMERS TOUT PROGRESS DURING MEETINGS WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 007404

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/2/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAL IZ JO
SUBJECT: GOJ REFORMERS TOUT PROGRESS DURING MEETINGS WITH
S/P DIRECTOR REISS, BUT ACTIVISTS NOTE HUGE CHALLENGES
REMAIN


Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: Key GOJ reformers presented a positive
picture to S/P Director Mitchell Reiss of Jordan's pioneering
progress to implement key economic, political and social
reforms, but acknowledged that significant obstacles remain.
Several activists, including a former Prime Minister, are not
quite as optimistic, expressing impatience at the slow pace
of political reform and the GOJ's unwillingness to address
fundamental inequities in society, particularly vis-a-vis the
Palestinian population in Jordan. Others expressed support
for the Broader Middle East initiative, and encouraged the
backers not to shy away from criticism from Arab leaders. A
roundtable discussion with university student leaders showed
that regional political issues, particularly the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, continue to dominate the psyche
of most Jordanians. End Summary.

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GOJ REFORMERS TOUT PROGRESS, APPEAL FOR MORE HELP
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2. (C) During separate meetings in Amman August 30 and 31
with visiting S/P Director Mitchell Reiss, Deputy Director
Barry Lowenkron, S/P member Charles Dunne, and Charge,
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Bassem
Awadallah and Justice Minister Salah al-Bashir painted an
optimistic picture of the progress of Jordan's reform
program, but noted the challenges ahead. Noting that he
would travel to Wilton Park the next day for a conference to
discuss reform issues with representatives from other Arab
countries, Awadallah highlighted Jordan's pioneering role in
implementing a wide-ranging reform program at home and
regionally. These policies are driven by the GOJ's
recognition that Jordan needs to build a modern, inclusive
society free of nepotism and corruption that supports the
growth of all people. For his part, Bashir noted he is
spearheading a regional reform program under the auspices of
the OECD in which participating Arab countries will develop
pilot programs on select issues (Bashir will head the one on
judicial reform, for example) that they hope to use as a
model for the region.


3. (C) Awadallah and Bashir appealed for more U.S.
assistance to help move Jordan's reform program along.
Echoing FM Muasher's comments to Ambassador Reiss reported
septel, Awadallah suggested that the U.S. consider tying its
aid to progress on reform. Ambassador Reiss noted that
Jordan is viewed as a model for reform and its support on
multiple bilateral, regional and global issues is highly
valued.

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BUT HUGE OBSTACLES REMAIN
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4. (C) Reflecting complaints from civil society leaders and
activists, Awadallah acknowledged that the challenges are
"huge." Involving youth in the process is paramount, and
making sure that the economic reforms translates into
improved quality of life for citizens is key. Political
reform is probably one of the most difficult aspects of the
reform program since "democracy only came to us in 1989."
(Note: This refers to the re-establishment of Jordan's
parliament by King Hussein, and other initiatives begun that
year. End note.) Alluding to Jordan's election law that
favors the East Bank, tribal community at the expense of
Jordan's urban, majority Palestinian origin population,
Awadallah (himself of Palestinian origin) said: "We don't
have proportional representation... this problem stems from
the (Palestinian-Israeli conflict). Until it is dealt with,
we won't be a truly representational society." Bashir said
that his (USAID-backed) judicial reform program is partly
intended to address social ills in Jordan, such as helping
empower women and children through legislation reform that
supports human rights and the rule of law.


5. (C) Prominent Jordanian-Palestinians who met with
Ambassador Reiss over lunch echoed these concerns, and
highlighted the dampening effect Jordan's security apparatus
has on Jordanian society. Former Senator Marwan Dudin said
that many parents discourage their children from engaging in
political activity for fear it could come back to haunt them
as they seek to advance in their careers (most employers
require "good conduct" reports from the intelligence service
before hiring someone). Interference from the intelligence
apparatus in every day affairs, from choosing university
administrators, to issuing permits for cultural events, to
issuing work permits, has a hold on society that will be
difficult to break, according to former royal court adviser
(and former Ambassador to the UN) Adnan Abu Odeh.

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SUPPORT FOR U.S. REFORM INITIATIVES
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6. (C) Awadallah expressed support for the Broader Middle
East Initiative, and believes that the U.S. strategy of
consultation with regional leaders has worked to produce a
better plan. He cautioned that the September BMENA
ministerial in New York must be planned carefully to maintain
momentum, and expressed hope that other regional countries
would attend, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Awadallah
advocated establishing benchmarks for progress in Arab
reform, and said that Jordan would continue to push forward
on this issue.

7. (C) Activists who met Ambassador Reiss over dinner
expressed support for BMENA as well, and noted the evolution
of the initiative that demonstrates the U.S. intends to
support indigenous reform efforts already under way. During
the lunch, Abu Odeh encouraged Ambassador Reiss not to give
in to criticism from the region, especially from those who
complain the U.S. wants to impose its will on the Arab world.
Former Prime Minister Taher al-Masri (also of Palestinian
origin) echoed this sentiment, saying that the criticism is
empty talk from leaders who resist change because that could
mean a loss of their own power. However, Masri (and nearly
every Jordanian whom Ambassador Reiss met during the course
of his visit) cautioned that failure to solve the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict will hinder regional reform
efforts, and appealed for the U.S. to do more to bring peace
to the region.


8. (C) While sounding support for U.S. efforts to encourage
reform, through bilateral pressure if necessary, Ambassador
Reiss's luncheon interlocutors said they detected a lack of
momentum in U.S. efforts. One said the moment he heard U.S.
officials begin to speak of supporting only "indigenous"
reform efforts and moving at a pace acceptable to countries
of the region, he decided USG resolve was wavering and was
thus scaling back its initiative.


9. (C) The Ambassador met with student leaders who had
visited the U.S. on exchange programs sponsored by the Middle
East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). One student sought
reassurances from Ambassador Reiss that the U.S. reform
programs would remain even if there is a change in leadership
after the U.S. presidential election. Another expressed his
amazement that the U.S. dared to challenge Arab leaders to
reform politically, something he fears they will never allow.
They called for more money to be spent on exchange programs
to break down cultural barriers and counter the negative and
misleading images that permeate Arab and western media.

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JORDANIANS PREOCCUPIED WITH REGIONAL CONFLICTS
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10. (C) Awadallah said that the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict reflected the "collective failure" of everyone
involved, and most Jordanian interlocutors agreed with
Ambassador Reiss that Arafat is part of the problem, not part
of the solution. Former PM al-Masri said that the conflict
to Jordan's west has direct bearing on Jordanians given
family ties and Jordan's history with the West Bank. The
humanitarian suffering cannot be ignored, and the negative
security implications for Jordan are huge. Masri said
pushing both sides to implement the roadmap is key, and
leaving Arafat as a figurehead may be the only way in the end
to marginalize him. He said that Arafat is stronger when
he's isolated, and opined that it would behoove the U.S. (in
conjunction with the Arab states) to encourage the EU to
withdraw European support in order to encourage change. "It
is not an exaggeration to say that growing anti-U.S.
sentiment is directly tied to the Palestinian problem." But
he said the Arab states have the tools to strengthen
alternative leaders in the West Bank and Gaza by building on
social, cultural and economic ties. He said that Jordan and
Egypt need to get over their fear about Palestinian criticism
about getting involved. "We have the means, support, people
there. We should be able to capitalize on this."


11. (C) During a roundtable discussion with university
students to discuss reform, the bulk of the conversation
focused on conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians and in
Iraq. Students argued about the merits of continuing the
fight against Israel. One young veiled woman of Palestinian
origin defended suicide bombings as legitimate resistance,
indeed, part of a religiously-sanctioned struggle against
Jews, to which Ambassador Reiss countered that such violence
was not justified in Islamic teachings and only hurt the
Palestinian cause. (The young woman was taken to task by
another female student, who cautioned her to distinguish at
least between Jews and Israelis.)


12. (C) Iraqi students attending university in Jordan hoped
the U.S. would stay the course in Iraq, and sparred with
Jordanian students during the meeting with Ambassador Reiss
who criticized the U.S. role there as an "occupation" and
demanded an immediate withdrawal. An exasperated Iraqi said
a U.S. withdrawal at this point would be a disaster because
they are needed to help stabilize the country. He questioned
why Arabs felt justified criticizing the U.S. in Iraq when it
was the Iraqi people who suffered under Saddam while the
Arabs watched for 35 years. At this point, the Iraqis should
take the positive things the U.S. can offer, ignore the
negatives, and hope for the best in the end.


13. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.

Visit Embassy Amman's classified website at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ or access the site
through the State Department's SIPRNET home page.
HALE