SCENESETTER FOR CODEL COCHRAN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002741 SIPDIS FOR H AND NEA/ELA E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP JO SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL COCHRAN REF: A. A. AMMAN 02577 ¶B. B. STATE 57875 ¶C. C. STATE 53386 ¶D. D. STATE 36351 Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Embassy Amman welcomes your visit April 18-20. Jordan is a key partner for U.S. efforts in Iraq, the war against terrorism, regional reform and promotion of moderate Islam, and Israel-Palestinian peace. ¶2. (C) You are scheduled for an audience with Prince Faisal, who is serving as Regent in the absence of his brother, King Abdullah. You will also meet jointly with Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit, Finance Minister Ziad Fariz, and Foreign Minister Abdelelah Al-Khatib. THE JORDANIAN CABINET ¶3. (C) King Abdullah named Marouf Bakhit Prime Minister on November 24. Bakhit is a former diplomat and retired general. The King instructed the new government to pursue three priorities: a) new security laws to tighten counterterrorism efforts while protecting human rights; b) accelerated political reforms; and c) efforts to alleviate poverty and unemployment. In an effort to balance its budget badly hurt by high world oil prices, the government made further unpopular cuts in fuel subsidies earlier this month. Khatib returns to his post as Foreign Minister for the second time; he is well known in Washington and is an effective interlocutor. Finance Minister Fariz also serves as the Deputy Prime Minister, and is a former governor of Jordan's central bank. THE U.S.-JORDAN RELATIONSHIP ¶4. (SBU) The Government of Jordan plays a key role in some of the top national priorities of the United States. - (S) Jordan is one of our most important partners in the war against terrorism. The Jordanian and U.S. security services have excellent cooperative relations. In the aftermath of the November 9 Amman hotel bombings, Jordanian public opinion united behind King Abdullah in condemning violence motivated by religious extremism. - (S) The GOJ considers U.S. success in Iraq to be in its vital interest. Jordan provided concrete logistical and political support in the run-up to operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF),and continues to host training for Iraqi police, military personnel, air traffic controllers, central bank experts, and other employees of the new Iraqi government. Over thirty-one thousand Iraqi police cadets have been trained so far at the Jordanian International Police Training Center, established immediately after OIF and funded by the U.S. - (S) Jordan remains an important, positive factor in the Israeli-Palestinian equation. Jordan considers its 1994 peace treaty with Israel to be a cornerstone of its national security strategy, and Jordanian security and military services work closely with their Israeli counterparts, although this relationship stays largely out of sight. The GOJ recently renewed its offer to provide training in Jordan for Palestinian security forces. - (S) With the electoral victory of Hamas in the Palestinian elections, there is concern among Jordanians that tensions west of the River Jordan will spill over into this country. Although the GOJ has no sympathy for Hamas, Jordan's demographics and geography make it difficult for the GOJ to refuse all contact with a Palestinian government. Jordan's stated policy on the choices before a Hamas government are consistent with U.S. views. - (SBU) Jordan was a pioneer of economic reform in the Arab world, and continues to work toward political and social reform. Much of the King,s base of support among the East Bank population, however, resists some elements of his agenda. East Bank traditionalists, who dominate parliament, largely oppose proposals that would lead to Palestinian-Jordanians -- whom they regard as foreigners -- gaining more representation in the legislature. On social issues, the King,s agenda also faces opposition, in this case from a resurgent popular brand of Islam that has made the country notably more conservative over the past generation. - (SBU) Jordanian popular opinion of U.S. policy diverges sharply from the government's close alignment with the U.S. blunt criticism of U.S. policies in the new media, and in opinion pieces, remain common. U.S. Assistance to Jordan ¶5. (SBU) The GOJ is deeply appreciative of the assistance it receives for the U.S. It puts both military and economic assistance to use in programs that are closely coordinated with the USG. FY 2005 appropriations for assistance to Jordan follow were (in millions of dollars): Economic Support Funds, regular appropriation: 250 Economic Support Funds, supplemental: 100 Foreign Military Financing, regular: 204.352 Foreign Military Financing, supplemental: 100 King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center, multi-year appropriation: 100 HALE