NO PLANS TO RESCHEDULE IRAQI SUNNI ARAB CONFERENCE

S E C R E T AMMAN 009411 SIPDIS (CORRECTED COPY - CLASSIFIED BY STATEMENT) NOFORN E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2014 TAGS: PREL PINR IZ JO SUBJECT: NO PLANS TO RESCHEDULE IRAQI SUNNI ARAB CONFERENCE IN AMMAN REF: A. STATE 250423 ¶B. AMMAN 8658 ¶C. AMMAN 8545 ¶D. BAGHDAD 1905 Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel Reason: 1.4D ¶1. (S) Summary: GOJ and Iraqi migr contacts tell post there are as yet no plans to convene the conference of Iraqi Sunni Arabs that was postponed indefinitely two weeks ago. End summary. ¶2. (S/NF) Per ref A, post is seeking updates on any changes in the GOJ,s thinking concerning the conference of Iraqi Sunni Arabs, planned for November 10-11 but indefinitely postponed. The Jordanian General Intelligence Directorate (GID) was the organizer of the postponed conference. On November 24 GID director Saad Kheir confirmed to RMAS that the GOJ was not considering rescheduling the conference at present. He undertook to keep post briefed should the GOJ again consider reviving this option. ¶3. (S) In response to ref A, Charge polled contacts among Royal Palace staff and at MFA, who were aware of no plans to reschedule the conference. (King Abdullah, FM Mulki, and Royal Court Minister Rifai are traveling in Europe until December 1.) ¶4. (S) Separately, EmbOff spoke to Amman-based Iraq Sunni Arab figure Talal Al-Gaaod, who was a member of the organizing committee for the aborted November 10-11 conference. Al-Gaaod said that, to his disappointment, there are at present no plans to resurrect the conference in Jordan. Al-Gaaod stressed his understanding (which tracks with post,s) that the Sunni Arab conference project was a personal initiative of King Abdullah's, and as such cannot be re-launched (even as a "private" effort) here without an explicit go-ahead from the King. To Al-Gaaod,s knowledge no such green light has yet been given. He asserted that the GOJ liaison officers who worked with the Iraqi Sunni organizers last month have told him that they have no idea when or whether a decision on the issue will be made by the King. Al-Gaaod claims Iraqi PM Alawi, who he asserts initially encouraged King Abdullah to hold the conference, has had "a change of heart" and now opposes it. ¶5. (U) Amman,s leading independent newspaper, Al-Ghad, reported November 24 that a meeting would soon convene in Jordan to discuss Iraqi Sunni Arabs and the January elections. Its source for the item was an unidentified ''high ranking Arab official.'' ¶6. (S) Comment: Despite the Al-Ghad piece, we see no strong evidence that the GOJ is moving toward a second effort to convene this conference. Post will continue to engage the GOJ on this question and report developments. ¶7. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. HENZEL