RUMORS OF CABINET RESHUFFLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 008106 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2011 TAGS: PGOV JO SUBJECT: RUMORS OF CABINET RESHUFFLE REF: A. AMMAN 6167 ¶B. AMMAN 5945 ¶C. AMMAN 7737 Classified By: CDA Daniel Rubinstein for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Rumors of an impending cabinet reshuffle, which are virtually constant in Jordan, have now intensified and broken onto the front pages of mainstream newspapers. Pro-government members of parliament and others close to the palace and government have for some time been trading, in poloffs' presence, second-hand tales of tension between PM Bakhit's cabinet and senior palace advisors. Several MPs have predicted to poloffs and to others that at least a few ministers will lose their posts before the start of the ordinary session of Parliament on November 28. ¶2. (SBU) The center-left Al-Dustour and the liberal Al-Ghad dailies reinforced the talk of ministerial changes October 28, with front-page reports that many in Jordan may assume were inspired by the palace. Al-Ghad reported that PM Bakhit instructed cabinet members to summarize their accomplishments for him this week. The article cites unnamed sources predicting a reshuffle of five to seven ministers, with Bakhit remaining at the helm. Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ RUBINSTEIN