DEMARCHE ON PRESERVING SINIORA,S GOVERNMENT

S E C R E T AMMAN 007924

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KDEM MOPS LE SY JO
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON PRESERVING SINIORA,S GOVERNMENT

REF: A. STATE 172274


B. AMMAN 7626

C. AMMAN 7758

D. USDAO AMMAN 191546Z SEP 06

Classified By: Classified by Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)


1. (S) A/DCM delivered reftel demarche October 15 to Thamar
Al-Adwan, FM Khatib's chief of staff. Al-Adwan took careful
notes and undertook to brief Khatib immediately, but offered
no substantive comment.


2. (S) During a follow-up demarche October 16 with Jaffar
Hassan, foreign affairs advisor in the King's office, Hassan
said he would brief office director Bassem Awadallah and that
the issue would be on the King's "radar screen." Hassan
commented that King Abdullah had recently noted his concern
for Siniora to codels Warner (ref B) and Frist (ref C).
Hassan expressed worry that the Syrian leadership probably
did not think significant new sanctions were likely.


3. (S) Comment: King Abdullah and his top aides have
expressed their concerns for Siniora's physical and political
future regularly to post and to senior U.S. visitors. We
understand the King has also discussed with other Arab
governments ways to counter the threats to Siniora. In
addition to considerable humanitarian aid (ref D),Jordan has
offered security assistance to forces loyal to Siniora. End
comment.

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