A/S WELCH TALKS REGIONAL ISSUES WITH JORDAN'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002540

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV JO
SUBJECT: A/S WELCH TALKS REGIONAL ISSUES WITH JORDAN'S
FOREIGN MINISTER


Classified By: AMBASSADOR DAVID HALE FOR REASONS 1.4 (b and d).


1. (C) SUMMARY. Assistant Secretary Welch met with Jordanian
Foreign Minister Abdelelah Al-Khatib April 3, on the
coattails of the Quartet envoys meeting in Amman. Centcom
J-5 Director Rear Admiral Robert Moeller and the Ambassador
joined the discussions. The meeting focused on continuing
assistance to the Palestinians and support for Abu Mazen,
with Khatib stressing the importance of both. The FM shared
concerns over U.S. engagement with Iran over Iraq and
Afghanistan, and confessed a lack of confidence in Iraq's
Interior Ministry. END SUMMARY.

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PALESTINIAN AID AND PALESTINIAN POLITICS
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2. (C) A/S Welch explained the U.S. plan to continue
supporting Palestinians. He said that there was currently
$600 million in the pipelines for Palestinian aid, but that
those funds would be partially frozen. Another portion of
the funds would be redirected to humanitarian aid efforts,
including an increase in funding to UNRWA. Khatib warned
against funding UNRWA services to non-refugees. He did not
want to see any drop in services to refugees or a change in
UNRWA's mandate. He also offered that Jordan might be able
to help move equipment and food aid. A/S Welch said that the
increased funding to UNRWA would not result in cuts in
services to refugees.


3. (C) A/S Welch shared the Quartet's assessment that Hamas
did not taint the entirety of the Palestinian Authority with
a terrorist organization designation. He said that the
Quartet will maintain contact with Abu Mazen, the PA
presidency, and all PA organizations that fall under the
umbrella of the presidency. However, there will be no
contact with the Hamas government, from janitor to minister.
A/S Welch encouraged Khatib to back the Abu Mazen's attempts
to bring Palestinian border controls under his authority.


4. (C) Responding to Khatib's plea for tangible U.S. support
for Abu Mazen, A/S Welch said the U.S. is "supportive
politically and non-judgmental practically." A/S Welch
confided that the international community is concerned Abu
Mazen's promises will be unfulfilled. He told Khatib that
Abu Mazen could earn confidence by cleaning up Fatah. Khatib
said that, in the short term at least, this would be
difficult to accomplish. Fatah was still reeling from
defeat, and any shake up now would only fracture the already
strained movement. Khatib did say, however, that Fatah will
need to be well organized once it "retakes power" from Hamas.
Abu Mazen was undermined, according to Khatib, by Hamas, by
Fatah, by the international community, and most importantly
by Israel. A public directive for him to clean up Fatah
would only further undermine him.

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IRAQ
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5. (C) A/S Welch told Khatib that formation of the Iraqi
government was critical. It must project national unity, he
said. The U.S. - contrary to popular opinion - is not
issuing specific personnel directives for the formation of
Iraq's government. Khatib commented "the names being floated
about are not very encouraging."


6. (C) Khatib also spoke to the issue of Palestinian refugees
on the Iraq/Jordan border. He expressed considerable dismay
with the Iraqi Interior Ministry, especially with the lack of
cooperation from the Iraqi General in charge of the Karama
border, General Rideh al Shamri. He said that Jordan has a
process to admit Palestinian refugees, on a case-by-case
basis. The 89 refugees that showed up on the border March 19
put considerable public pressure on Jordan, and could open
the floodgates to some 700,000 refugees from Iraq if not
handled properly. The pressure to accommodate these refugees
- Iraqi residents, he added - should shift to Iraq's Interior
Ministry.

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IRAN
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7. (C) A/S Welch confirmed to Khatib that the USG authorized
Embassies Kabul and Baghdad to be available for official
discussions with the Iranian government on issues pertaining
to the situations in Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively. The
Iranians in Afghanistan accepted the proposal immediately.
So far, no meetings in Iraq have occurred, though Tehran had
recently referred to the matter in public. A/S Welch said
that there was considerable concern in Washington over Iran's
meddling in Iraq. Armed with the evidence, the U.S. would be
direct with the Iranians whenever the meetings take place.
Khatib confessed to A/S Welch that there is "unease" in the
region over the U.S. engaging Iran. According to Khatib,
there is skepticism that the U.S. will be able to keep Iran
on topic and prevent the Iranian government from leveraging
the meetings to its favor.
HALE