DEMARCHE ON SYRIAN WITHDRAWAL FROM LEBANON: JORDAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001829 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2015 TAGS: PREL SY LE JO SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON SYRIAN WITHDRAWAL FROM LEBANON: JORDAN REF: A. STATE 39018 ¶B. AMMAN 1651 Classified By: Charge David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) (C) In the absence of Foreign Minister al-Mulki, Charge delivered ref a points March 6 to Royal Court Minister Samir al-Rifai. Rifai responded that he was in complete agreement with U.S. views on this matter and pointed to strong Jordanian statements urging Syria to fully comply with UNSCR 1559 -- which the King and others have reinforced with the Syrians in private (ref b). Rifai said that King Abdullah had recently told an Algerian delegation visiting Amman in preparation for the upcoming Arab League summit in Algiers that the summit declaration should contain a clear message on the need for Syria to immediately and fully withdraw from Lebanon. Charge will follow-up with the Foreign Minister when he returns to Jordan. HALE