JORDANIAN-SYRIAN HIGHER JOINT COMMITTEE

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 005397 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/04/2016 TAGS: PREL SY JO SUBJECT: JORDANIAN-SYRIAN HIGHER JOINT COMMITTEE REF: AMMAN 5301 Classified By: AMBASSADOR DAVID HALE FOR REASONS 1.4 (b and d) ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: A Jordanian diplomat provided his views on the Jordanian-Syrian Joint Higher Committee meetings in Damascus in June. They were co-chaired by Jordanian Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit and Syrian Prime Minister Otari in Damascus in late June. Septel reports a readout on water issues. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Poloff met with Muwaffaq Ajlouni of the Jordanian Foreign Ministry's Department of Arab Affairs on July 6. Ajlouni, who attended the June 28-29 session of the Jordanian-Syrian Higher Joint Committee meetings in Damascus, told Poloff that the eight cooperation agreements signed during the meetings on investment, industry, agriculture, higher education, health, environment, water sharing, and culture were a continuation of long-standing technical agreements between Jordan and Syria. Ajlouni said that Committee statements on the peaceful use of nuclear technology for energy generation and on the condemnation of the use of sanctions as a political tool were Syrian initiatives - probably stemming by Damascus, relationship to Iran, and that the statement regarding a WMD-free region was an appeal to Israel to join in a WMD-free region. He also said that statement calling for a lasting peace in the Middle East was worded as a call for an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights and Shebaa Farms. (Note: This conversation took place before the outbreak of violence in Lebanon and northern Israel.) ¶3. (C) These technical agreements, arranged and signed under the patronage of Prime Minster Bakhit, contrast with the King's diplomatic efforts to increase pressure on the SARG. The King, along with Egypt and Saudi Arabia, has been pushing Damascus for significant policy changes in an effort to curb Iranian influence in the region (ref A),even before the current Lebanon crisis. ¶4. (SBU) Jordanian representatives to the June 28 Higher Joint Committee signing session included Prime Minister Bakhit, Foreign Minister Khatib, Interior Minister Eid Fayez, Minister of Energy Azmi Khreisat, Transportation Minister Saud Nseirat, Minister of Industry & Trade Sharif Zu'bi, Minister of Water Thafer Alem, Minster of Agriculture Akef Zubi, and government spokesman Nasser Judeh. Hale