FM READ-OUT OF ARAB LEAGUE MEETING AND VISITS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002739 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2016 TAGS: PREL PTER IZ JO SUBJECT: FM READ-OUT OF ARAB LEAGUE MEETING AND VISITS TO U.S. AND JORDAN Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Margaret Scobey for reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d). -------------- ARAB LEAGE CAIRO PREP MEETING -------------- ¶1. (C) On July 30, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari characterized the Arab League preparatory meeting in Cairo as unsuccessful. He reported that it did not result in setting a date for the conference because sectarian tensions were too high and everyone was distracted by the Lebanon-Gaza crisis. Participants only agreed to meet "in November" without setting a specific date. Zebari said he would travel to Cairo at the end of August. -------------- PM MEETS JORDAN'S KING ABDULLAH -------------- ¶2. (C) Zebari took credit for convincing Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to visit with Jordan's King Abdullah in Aqaba on their way home from the States. Zebari briefly reviewed six topics discussed. --The Iraqis raised concerns about Jordanian protection being given to the activities of former senior Baath Party officials. Zebari said it was not just the issue of Saddam's daughters, but others. King Abdullah acknowledged that he had given safehaven to some, but promised that if the Iraqis had any evidene to suggest their were abusing Jordanian hospitality by involving themselves in conspiratorial activities, he would take action. He would not allow Jordan to be used to undermine Iraqi security interests. They agreed that the Iraqi Minister of Interior and Chief of their National Intelligence Service would bring their information to their counterparts in Amman. --Jordan asked to revive previous arrangements on oil, citing their need to provide crude to the Zarkha refinery. Some technical discussion ensued, and the Iraqis said they were willing to help, but nothing definite was decided. --The Iraqis complained about treatment of Iraqi visitors to Jordan at the ports of entry. They did not object to security measures per se, but to the way in which Iraqis were treated. The King promised to send inspectors to the Jordanian border to check the situation. --Both Jordan and Iraq agreed on the need to upgrade border facilities on both sides of the border, estimating the need for $65 million on each side. They decided to look for possible donor countries for this project. --King Abdullah asked about the postponed conference of religious leaders that he had proposed be held in Amman. Maliki said he thought it a good idea and would review it; he said he would come back to the King when he thought that holding the meeting would support his national reconciliation plan. --On Syria, the King agreed that it was playing a very negative role in the region. Jordanian intelligence asserted that facilitating the transit of foreign fighters into Iraq was Syria's "official policy." -------------- U.S. VISIT A SHOW OF SUPPORT -------------- ¶3. (C) Zebari told Charge that the PM's visit to the U.S. was a great success. He said that the PM and every member of the delegation came home knowing how much President Bush is committed to this government. He added that the delegation was overwhelmed by Washington's efforts to make them feel welcome and pampered. He admitted that the visit was hectic and comprehensive, exclaiming that the delegation felt like they met every single person in government. He took credit for helping the PM handle criticism from Congress for his remarks on Lebanon. Zebari said he tried to emphasize how far Iraq has come from when Saddam's army was ready to march on Israel. Zebari believed that the visit helped U.S. counterparts better recognize the challenges facing the GOI. SCOBEY SCOBEY