JORDANIAN COMMENTS ON JULY 18-19 IRAQ DONOR'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 005575

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2015
TAGS: ECON EAID EFIN PREL JO IZ
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN COMMENTS ON JULY 18-19 IRAQ DONOR'S
CONFERENCE

REF: STATE 127710

Classified By: DAVID HALE, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES A.I., REASONS: 1.4 (B &D)


1. (SBU) Embassy passed reftel demarche on July 10 to Ghaith
Zureikat, Director of the U.S., South America, and Australia
Bilateral Cooperation Division at the Ministry of Planning
and
Bilateral Cooperation. (Note: The Ministry has lead
responsibility within the GOJ for organizing the
Jordan-hosted
IRFFI conference and for consultation with IRFFI members
and Iraq donors generally. End Note). Deputy Secretary
Zoellick also discussed the forthcoming IRFFI conference with
King Abdullah, and expressed great appreciation for Jordan,s
role as conference host, during a July 10 meeting (septel).
Emboff followed up with Zureikat on July 12 concerning GOJ
plans for the conference and views on its significance.

IRAQ Reconstruction "Vital" to Jordan
--------------


2. (C) Zureikat expressed thanks for U.S. support of the
conference, and noted that Jordan regards the International
Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) as a key
element in
progress towards achievement of stability and prosperity in
Iraq.
He added that such stability is vital to the future political
stability
and economic development of the Middle East as a whole, and
said that Jordan is extremely pleased to be hosting the IRFFI
conference and is looking forward to broad participation by
the
donor community.


3. (SBU) While acknowledging that this will not be a
"pledging"
conference, Zureikat said that the GOJ is concerned that
international assistance to the reconstruction of Iraq is
flagging, and
hopes that the conference will provide new impetus to resist
or
reverse this trend. He added that Jordan will continue to
provide
in-kind assistance to Iraq reconstruction, including training
and
other assistance in the sectors of banking, medicine, water,
transportation, and security.

Security Issues
--------------


4. (C) While noting that security logistics details are
still being
worked out, Zureikat said that security at the IRFFI
conference will
be organized in a similar manner to that provided at the
World
Economic Forum (WEF) last May (Note: the WEF was also held at
the Dead Sea Conference Center. End Note). In this regard,
he
said that outside access to the Dead Sea hotels will be
limited to
authorized personnel and IRFFI delegates.

Possible Attendance by King Abdullah
--------------


5. (C) While the overall IRFFI agenda is still being
developed,
Zureikat noted that a welcome dinner hosted by Minister of
Planning Suhair al-Ali will be held for IRFFI delegates at
the
Conference Center, starting at 1900 on Sunday, on July 17.
He
added that King Abdullah will return from a visit to South
Africa some time on July 17, and will "probably" attend
either
this reception or a still-to-be-organized event to coincide
with the
plenary on July 18. Zureikat stressed that the issue of the
King's
attendance is not fully resolved, and that a final decision
might
not be made before July 15.
HALE