JORDAN WELCOMES NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 003467 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2015 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER IZ JO SUBJECT: JORDAN WELCOMES NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT REF: A. STATE 79107 ¶B. AMMAN 3231 ¶C. AMMAN 3048 Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) Following wide local press coverage of PM Badran's April 29 congratulatory telephone call to his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim Ja'fari, poloff delivered ref A points to Walid Obeidat in Foreign Minister Qasrawi's private office. Obeidat underscored the GOJ's commitment to supporting Iraq's new government and said Jordan is working to help stabilize Iraq and assist in its reconstruction. ¶2. (C) According to press reports, during his conversation with Ja'afari, Badran commended the Iraqis' efforts to build their political institutions and stressed Jordan's support for Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Badran's comments echoed closely the King's recent public statements and cables of congratulations to the new Iraqi government (refs B and C). Badran also issued an invitation to Ja'afari to visit Amman, according to the press. Obeidat told poloff that a visit by Jordan's PM and/or FM to Iraq was still on the table (ref C) to deal with several bilateral issues, but that a date has not yet been confirmed. ¶3. (C) Obeidat commented that from Jordan's perspective, the neighbor's meeting held in Turkey on April 30, which Foreign Minister Qasrawi attended, went "very well." He said the final communique, which pledged to boost border security cooperation closely mirrored the "language and spirit" of the statement issued after an earlier meeting of the neighboring countries held in Amman. According to press reports, the Istanbul declaration condemned "terrorist actions" in Iraq and said the neighbors were determined "to increase their cooperation in the overall border security with Iraq... with the primary aim of stemming terrorist and other illegal infiltrations to and from Iraq." The countries also pledged to support and cooperate with the new government, particularly as it prepares for the coming stages in the political process. ¶4. (U) While in Istanbul, Qasrawi met with UN envoy to Iraq Ashraf Qazi on April 29. Qasrawi stressed Jordan's continued support for the UN's efforts in Iraq and pledged Jordan's willingness to provide all forms of assistance to the UN mission there, according to the press. Separately, Qasrawi discussed regional issues, including Iraq, with the Organization of the Islamic Conference's (OIC) Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, as well as the agenda for the upcoming OIC meeting in Sanaa. Qasrawi also discussed Iraq and other bilateral issues with Egyptian FM Abul Gheit on the margins of the Istanbul meeting. ¶5. (U) Minimize considered. Please visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at http://www.state.sgov/p/nea/amman/ or access the site through the Department of State's SIPRNET home page. HALE