JORDAN TO SEND CONFIDENTIAL EMISSARY TO SYRIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 009029

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2010
TAGS: PREL LE SY JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN TO SEND CONFIDENTIAL EMISSARY TO SYRIA

REF: A. AMMAN 8948

B. STATE 205436

C. AMMAN 8766

Classified By: Ambassador David Hale, Reasons 1.4 (B) & (D)


1. (C) Since receiving, and turning down, a message and
invitation from Syrian President Bashar al-Asad conveyed by
Walid al-Muallim (ref c),Jordan's King has continued to
receive messages from Damascus. The new Jordanian Ambassador
to Syria presented his credentials in an unprecedented matter
of days after his arrival, and shortly afterward had a longer
audience with Asad. The Syrian President gave him a
handwritten note for King Abdullah, asking for Jordan's help
in getting the U.S. and the UN to ease up in light of Syrian
"cooperation." Asad asked the King to come to Damascus to
see firsthand the level of that cooperation. The note
asserted readiness to hand over any Syrian wanted for
questioning to Mehlis anywhere, except in Lebanon.


2. (C) Maarouf Bakhit, the new Director of National Security
to the King, raised this issue with Ambassador on November

21. He is well aware, after several conversations, of the
importance we place on isolating and pressuring Syria. He
nonetheless noted the visits to Syria of Saudi Prince Bandar
bin Sultan and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. King
Abdullah has no intention of traveling to Syria and is
dismissive of Syrian claims of cooperation, but has agreed to
a proposal to send Bakhit on an unpublicized visit. The
purpose would be to tell Asad in unvarnished terms that he
has two choices: he can cooperate with the international
community now, or he can cooperate later. The longer he
delayed, the more painful the process would be for him, his
regime, and regional stability. Bakhit would also ask that
Syria handover two terrorist suspects who fled Jordan and are
wanted in connection with the Aqaba Katyusha attacks, and
whose network may have supported the hotel bombers.


3. (C) Ambassador reiterated ref B points. Bakhit recognized
that the Syrians might arrange a press ambush for the
"unpublicized" visit, and will have contingency press
guidance that will emphasize the sternness of Jordan's
message. The trip is likely to occur in the next few days.


4. (C) Comment: The visit serves no positive purpose from
our perspective, but as a vulnerable neighbor of Syria,
Jordan clearly feels compelled to keep a channel of
communication open. Bakhit has gone to pains to consult us
and to assure us the message will be squarely focused on the
need for full and immediate cooperation with the UN and with
Mehlis. On several occasions, the King has observed to
Ambassador that the Saudis and Egyptians are actively
undercutting that message, by seeking to build Arab League
support behind Syria and against outside intervention. The
spirit of the Bakhit message will be that there is no such
Arab consensus and cooperation with the UN is essential.

HALE