FOREIGN MINISTER QASRAWI ON UN REFORM, OTHER ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005387

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER KISL KPAL JO
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER QASRAWI ON UN REFORM, OTHER ISSUES

REF: A. STATE 111657


B. AMMAN 5357

Classified By: CDA David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (U) Charge met with Jordanian FM Qasrawi on July 5 and
discussed the following subjects:

UN REFORM
--------------


2. (C) Charge explained USG positions (ref A) on the various
aspects of UN reform, and Qasrawi answered each in turn,
spending most of the time discussing Security Council reform.
He said that Jordan is concerned that there will be a split
over the G-4 proposal, and that the GOJ is especially mindful
of the importance of Africa's position on Security Council
reform. Jordan is supportive of both Japan's and Germany's
bids for seats on the Council, but will not co-sponsor any
resolution. Qasrawi said that he is not sure Germany can get
the required 2/3 majority vote.


3. (C) He noted that Jordan is supportive of any initiative
to develop the Third World, and supports an assistance target
based on a percentage of GDP as a means of revitalizing the
UN's development capabilities. Jordan is also supportive of
the U.S. proposal for a new Human Rights Council.


4. (C) On the UN Convention on Terrorism, Qasrawi said that
there is still a problem over defining terrorism. He
suggested to Charge that the U.S. look at the definition
adopted by the council of Arab ministers, as the current
definition in the convention has drawn the ire of Syria as
well as some other Islamic and developing nations.


ARTICLE 98
--------------


5. (C) The Article 98 agreement was cleared by the Council of
Ministers and now sits before Parliament. Qasrawi, however,
gave no reason to believe that Parliament would ratify it
during the six-week extraordinary session this summer (slated
to begin the week of July 10). Charge noted that if it were
not ratified, another waiver of the Nethercutt amendment
would be necessary.


PROLIFERATION SECURITY INITIATIVE (PSI)
--------------

6, (C) While seven different GOJ agencies had presented
concerns over the PSI, Qasrawi said that all of them had been
addressed with the exception of the Ministry of Interior's
objection based on "sovereignty" issues. Qasrawi was
optimistic that this could be resolved, allowing Jordan to
join the PSI.


MDA - RED CROSS/RED CRESCENT SOCIETY
--------------


7. (C) According to Qasrawi, the MDA issue came up at the OIC
meeting in Yemen in the form of a Palestinian proposal to
declare that the time was "not right" for the convening of a
diplomatic conference to adopt a Third Additional Protocol to
the Geneva Convention. Jordan, he said, has no objection to
the concept, but the timing has to be right, which was not
presently the case. He stressed that the Palestinians also
agree in principle to the conference, but want it postponed
until after a successful Gaza withdrawal.


BRUSSELS CONFERENCE ON IRAQ
--------------


8. (C) Qasrawi said he thought the conference was successful.
He noted that the Syrian and Iranian delegations were not
"controversial," and that the parties seemed to be genuinely
supportive of Iraq. Qasrawi hoped that this sentiment would
be reflected in the donors' conference to be held in Amman
later this month.


AMMAN CONFERENCE ON "ROLE OF ISLAM IN MODERN SOCIETY"
-------------- --------------


9. (C) In his remarks at the Organization of Islamic
Conference (OIC) meeting in Yemen, Qasrawi mentioned the
international Islamic conference in Amman, saying that the
time was right for such an event (ref B). Qasrawi said that
the King's opening speech was short but rich, and provided a
great start to the conference. Qasrawi stated that there
needs to be more cooperation between the U.S. and the
Jordanian public on Islamic issues and suggested some avenues
for increased cooperation, including programming at the
Brookings Institute.

OIC MEETING IN YEMEN
--------------


10. (C) Qasrawi was surprised that no foreign ministers from
the Gulf, including the Saudi foreign minister, attended the
OIC meeting. He speculated that the absence of the Saudi
foreign minister could be due to tension between KSA and
Yemen over security. He also noted that it appeared the
Yemenis were disappointed with the lower-than-expected
turnout.


FATAH MEETING IN AMMAN
--------------


11. (C) Qasrawi said that it is imperative that Abu Mazen
strengthens FATAH to nullify the destabilizing effects of
HAMAS and Islamic Jihad. Currently, the in-fighting and
competition between these groups renders all chances for a
unified Palestinian voice moot.
HALE