JAAFARI ON TRIP TO JORDAN AND ARAB LEAGUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 004445 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2015 TAGS: PGOV PHUM IZ SUBJECT: JAAFARI ON TRIP TO JORDAN AND ARAB LEAGUE ENGAGEMENT Classified By: Charge David Satterfield, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) PM Jaafari briefed Charge October 29 on his just-concluded visit to Jordan and reflected on the previous week's visit by Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa. Jaafari said he was "completely satisfied" with the visit to Amman. King Abdullah, the Jordanian PM and other officials - he particularly singled out Zaid Rifai - had shown him great hospitality and had exceeded Jaafari's expectations regarding their attitude toward "the new Iraq." In particular, Jaafari said that his hosts and the "average Jordanians" he had met during the visit had hailed what the PM said was "my unexpected popularity." ¶2. (C) On substantive issues, Jaafari said that he had pressed for sending Jordan's Ambassador-designate to Baghdad, and the GOJ had agreed. (Note: We armed Jaafari in advance with information to pass during his visit confirming that USG is able to provide suitable secure housing/office space within the IZ as of end November. End Note.) The issue of Jordanian/Iraqi debt and commercial claims also had been raised, with agreement that Iraqi Finance Minister Allawi would set up a technical team this coming week to engage with the GOJ. Charge underscored importance of close coordination with US on the debt issue and briefly outlined our exchanges in Amman with Jordanian officials on this issue. ¶3. (C) Jaafari also had discussed the activities of Saddam's two daughters, resident in Jordan. He had received assurances that the daughters would not be permitted to engage in any/any political activity whatsoever. While Jaafari had been prepared to discuss the status of Ahmed Chalabi, the issue had not been raised. Jaafari told Charge that his position was that the Chalabi case should be handled as an individual legal matter and separated completely from political considerations. He said he took no position on the merits of the legal case, which was a matter solely for appropriate judicial consideration. Finally, Jaafari said he had pressed his hosts for more "balanced" treatment of Iraq in the Jordanian media and had received positive assurances. ¶4. (C) On the Moussa visit, Jaafari said that he had been pleased with the general character of the visit but had cautioned Moussa strongly at the outset of his trip on the need to clarify that the Arab League fully accepts the reality of "the new Iraq" and is fully respectful of Iraqi sovereignty. Jaafari said that there are many questions that need to be resolved before the Moussa-proposed "gathering" (the PM said he preferred not to characterize the proposed AL event as a "conference") takes place. Issues that need to be resolved in advance include: who would attend (PM "red lines" were "no Baathists/no terrorists," although he then stated individuals like Salih Mutlaq should be kept out as well); what the agenda and follow up of the meeting should be; and which non-Iraqi parties - if any - should be present. Satterfield