A/S WELCH AND DAPNSA ABRAMS MEET WITH FM KHATIB

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 008302

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2016
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS IZ LE JO
SUBJECT: A/S WELCH AND DAPNSA ABRAMS MEET WITH FM KHATIB


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


1. (C) NEA Assistant Secretary David Welch and Deputy
Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
Elliot Abrams met November 2 in Amman with Foreign Minister
Abdellelah Khatib. Ambassador also attended, as did U.S. and
Jordanian note-takers.

Palestinians and Israelis
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2. (C) Welch provided Khatib with readouts on his meetings
earlier that day in Tel Aviv, Ramallah and Jerusalem. He told
Khatib he was confident there would be no objection from the
Israelis to practical efforts to help make Abu Mazen more
effective. Khatib asked whether this included sending the
Jordan-based Palestinian Badr Brigade into the territories
under Abu Mazen's control, and Welch replied that it did.


3. (C) During discussion of Abu Mazen's options to bring
about a new government, Welch and Abrams reiterated the need
for the U.S. and partners like Jordan to coordinate efforts
to support Abu Mazen and move him toward steps that would
bring the PA into compliance with the Quartet principles.
Otherwise, the Palestinian issue will become a humanitarian
problem, rather than just a political one. Khatib agreed,
and said Jordan was pressing Abu Mazen to move promptly.
Khatib also repeatedly urged U.S. "flexibility" in evaluating
any new Palestinian government's compliance with the
Quartet's principles. Khatib stressed the mounting pressures
that continuing chaos in the territories would place on
Jordan. Welch and Abrams replied that a new government's
compliance would need to be clear and beyond doubt.

Lebanon
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4. (C) Khatib expressed concern that Hizballah and its
backers were making a move to escalate against Siniora;
support for Siniora's morale and physical security was key.
Welch agreed. Khatib jokingly asked whether there was truth
to regional media speculation that Sir Nigel Sheinwald's
visit to Damascus was at USG initiative. The Americans
expressed skepticism about the utility of missions like
Sheinwald's as long as Bashar continued to tell his
interlocutors what they wanted to hear while at the same time
pursuing destabilizing activities in Lebanon and with
Palestinian factions. Khatib agreed.

Iraq
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5. (C) Khatib raised the upcoming U.S elections and the
Baker-Hamilton commission's study of Iraq policy, and noted
concern in the region that a sudden U.S. withdrawal from Iraq
was becoming a possibility. Welch and Abrams acknowledged
the U.S. political debate over Iraq strategy, but assured
Khatib that no leader in either major U.S. party was
advocating a near-term exit from Iraq.

Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/


HALE