Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04AMMAN7406
2004-09-07 15:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

JORDAN ENDORSES UNSC RESOLUTION ON LEBANON

Tags:  PREL LE JO 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 007406 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2014
TAGS: PREL LE JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN ENDORSES UNSC RESOLUTION ON LEBANON


Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 007406

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2014
TAGS: PREL LE JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN ENDORSES UNSC RESOLUTION ON LEBANON


Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Jordanian Foreign Minister Muasher publicly endorsed
the recent UNSC resolution on the Lebanese presidential
elections during a press conference on September 6. While
stressing that the resolution "must be carefully studied," he
noted that Jordan had never stood against any of the Security
Council resolutions "regardless whether we agreed with it or
not." He emphasized that follow-up must be carefully
orchestrated to allow for the appropriate dialogue with the
international community, adding that he believed the issue
would be raised during the upcoming Arab Foreign Ministers'
Conference.


2. (C) Privately, a proud Muasher expressed to Charge on
September 7 his satisfaction in eliciting "screams" from the
Syrians after the GOJ endorsed the UNSC resolution. He cited
Jordan opposition to Syrian regional policies as well as
Jordan,s traditionally "friendly" relations with the
Lebanese people as grounds for his statement.


3. (C) He said that the Lebanese -- but not the Syrians --
had already approached the Arab League to discuss how to
handle a response to the Security Council action. Muasher
said he called Amr Moussa to tell him that if there was any
move afoot in the Arab League to condemn the UN action,
Jordan would object. Moussa agreed that an expression of
League opposition to the Security Council was not desirable,
according to Muasher.


4. (C) Comment: Jordanian officials have welcomed a tougher
U.S. line on Syria in general, given their own litany of
security and political problems with Damascus, and in
particular welcomed U.S. efforts to isolate Syria on the
issue of presidential elections. In addition to their
geostrategic thinking, Jordan,s leaders have been motivated
by increasingly close ties with Lebanese PM Hariri, whose
profile in Amman -- his wife,s hometown -- is growing by the
day. In addition to having bought a controlling share in
Jordan,s largest bank, the Arab Bank, during the past year,
Hariri is said to have contributed significantly to the
favored charities of the King and Queen. He also has
promised to play a prominent role in redeveloping a blighted
area of downtown, the Abdali district, along the model of a
Hariri brainchild, the Solidere project that revived central
Beirut. That scheme for Amman includes a favorite project of
Queen Rania, an AUB-modeled American University of Jordan.
Hariri,s access to King Abdullah, as well as Jordan,s own
interest in pressuring Damascus, no doubt in part accounts
for Jordan,s bolder, and notably public line on Lebanon's
presidential elections.

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