JORDANIAN CONSUL SAYS JORDAN WANTS PRISONERS IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 000075

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2010
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWBG IS GOI EXTERNAL
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN CONSUL SAYS JORDAN WANTS PRISONERS IN
EXCHANGE FOR RETURNING AMBASSADOR TO TEL AVIV


Classified By: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
.


1. (C) Jordanian Consul Mohammed Abu-Wandi told political
counselor January 5 that ongoing discussions with FM Shalom
over both Shalom's desire to visit Amman and the return of a
Jordanian ambassador to Tel Aviv focus on Israel's release of
some 13 Jordanian "security" prisoners. Abu-Wandi said his
mission has been discussing the issue at several levels with
the Israeli government and with other unspecified "friends"
in the hope of convincing the GOI that the prisoner issue is
of paramount importance.


2. (C) Abu-Wandi said that King Abdallah truly recognizes
that full diplomatic relations with Israel are in Jordan's
best interest, but political realities require that he secure
the release of the prisoners as part of the deal. Asked
whether a prisoner release would be enough of a gesture, by
itself, to allow the king to return the ambassador, Abu-Wandi
said yes. Asked if any other issue equaled that of the
prisoners, or could otherwise provide the cover for a return
of the ambassador, Abu-Wandi said no. While a few other
bilateral issues remain unresolved, none carries the same
importance vis-a-vis the ambassador issue. Asked whether
Jordan would extend an invitation for Shalom to visit absent
a prisoner deal, Abu-Wandi said he did not know. The
scenario, he acknowledged, would be for Israel to indicate
privately that it is willing to release the prisoners, for
Jordan to then invite Shalom to visit, and for the release to
then be made public, followed by Jordan's expeditious return
of its ambassador.


2. (C) COMMENT: While Abu-Wandi was paying his first call on
pol/c, it was clear that he came for the sole purpose of
raising the prisoner issue, frequently noting that Jordan
hopes its "friends," including the United States, will make
clear to the GOI the need for a prisoner release.

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