JORDAN'S KING ABDULLAH HOSTS PA PRESIDENT ABU MAZEN

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006238

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER KPAL JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN'S KING ABDULLAH HOSTS PA PRESIDENT ABU MAZEN

Classified By: CDA DAVID HALE FOR REASONs 1.4 (b) AND (d)


1. (C) Summary. According to a Jordanian official, PA
President Abu Mazen expressed to King Abdullah his commitment
to a smooth Gaza withdrawal, but voiced frustration with the
stance of Israeli PM Ariel Sharon. The King proposed the
formation of a committee of Arab foreign ministers to provide
support for the PA. Abu Mazen described his recent visit to
Damascus as "disappointing", with Syrian President al-Asad
making contradictory statements on the presence of militant
Palestinian factions in Syria. During his trip to Lebanon,
Abu Mazen signaled that he had no objection to the Lebanese
Army entering refugee camps and disarming militias. End
Summary.


2. (C) Charge met August 2 with Jordanian National Security
Advisor Saad Khayr, who had just left a lunch meeting hosted
by King Abdullah for Palestinian Authority President Abu
Mazen. Khayr said that they found Abu Mazen to be very
focused on achieving a smooth Gaza withdrawal, as evidenced
by Mazen's meetings with Iraeli PM Ariel Sharon. Khayr told
Charge that Abu Mazen was upset with Sharon's reluctance to
permit rehabilitation work to begin on the Gaza airport, as
well as with Sharon's sarcastic response to a request for
help in arming PA security forces. Sharon reportedly
suggested that Abu Mazen take the guns and ammunition from
the militant factions in the Palestinian territories.


3. (C) The King proposed the formation of a ministerial
committee, comprised of the Jordanian, Egyptian, Palestinian,
and Saudi foreign ministers, to meet for regular briefings,
and to support the PA before, during, and after the Gaza
withdrawal. Abu Mazen agreed to this proposal.


4. (C) According to Khayr, Abu Mazen described his visit with
Syrian President Bashar al-Asad as "disappointing". When
pressed on Palestinian rejectionist bases in Syria, Bashar
was highly contradictory. First he said that the militant
factions had packed up and moved to Lebanon. Then he stated
that the groups only had press offices in Syria. Finally he
said that they were simply beyond his control. To cap off the
story, Bashar was then able to summon the leaders of the
different factions for a meeting with Abu Mazen.


5. (C) According to Khayr, Abu Mazen said that when he
traveled to Lebanon, he signaled to the GOL that he would
have no objection to the Lebanese Army entering refugee camps
and disarming the militias. Abu Mazen said that he told
Lebanese officials that the Palestinians there should obey
Lebanese law and that Lebanese sovereignty should be
respected on all of its territory. Abu Mazen was not sure if
his intimations to the Lebanese would be followed by any
action on their part.
HALE