UPDATE ON IRAQIS IN JORDAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001822 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2017 TAGS: PREL PREF IZ JO SUBJECT: UPDATE ON IRAQIS IN JORDAN REF: A. STATE 17155 ¶B. AMMAN 1277 ¶C. AMMAN 703 ¶D. BAGHDAD 1069 Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Post remains engaged with the GOJ at the most senior levels seeking GOJ cooperation in moving toward the goals outlined ref a, including continued availability of first asylum; education, and other assistance. King Abdullah has made clear to Ambassador, however, that he regards the issue of Iraqis in Jordan as a national security matter, and that Jordan will not compromise where it sees security interests at stake. He has designated his chief of intelligence, Lt. Gen. Muhammad Dahabi, as post's chief point of contact for the issue, and the GOJ's internal coordinator for policy on Iraqis in Jordan. The implications of this posture are now becoming clear on several fronts. ¶2. (SBU) First asylum for new arrivals: -- (SBU) Truck traffic at the Jordanian-Iraqi border at Karama/Trebil continues at the rate of about 100 vehicles per day. There are each week 31 commercial flight from Iraq to Jordan, and the same number flying back. -- (C) Officially the GOJ retains its visa-free travel regime for Iraqis. Officials evaluate all Iraqis' requests for admission on a case-by-case basis at the port of entry. However, very few new Iraqis are now being admitted unless they are already known to the GOJ, or have been able to arrange admission in advance through contact with the Jordanian government. USG officials also see indications that Iraqi officials at the Karama/Trebil border are discouraging some Iraqis from approaching the Jordanian border post. -- (C) When queried about this situation, senior Jordanian officials have noted that Jordan lacks the capacity to host significant new numbers of Iraqis. The Embassy's requests for assistance with the admission of Iraqis into Jordan must be handled at senior levels and within a very limited framework outlined in ref c. -- (C) We understand that in June the GOJ will require, as the U.S. does, Iraqi travelers to present a new "G" series passport. ¶3. (SBU) Legal status: -- (SBU) Even though most Iraqis in Jordan are in violation of the terms under which they were admitted to Jordan, almost all continue to benefit from GOJ tolerance of this situation. Deportations of Iraqis remain rare -- on the order of a dozen per month - and take place only in cases of security or criminal concern, according to the GOJ. -- (C) However, the GOJ has made clear it will not agree to any arrangement that grants new immigration status to many of the Iraqis here illegally. For this reason, senior GOJ officials have made clear their strong reservations about UNHCR's request to amend its 1998 MOU that would give UNHCR the ability in effect to grant refugee status to some Iraqis. (Note: Jordan is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees.) ¶4. (SBU) International Organizations and NGOs: -- (SBU) UNHCR continues to operate under the terms of its 1998 MOU with Jordan. Because of its security concerns, the GOJ has enhanced oversight over NGOs. The GOJ is requiring NGOs to provide lists of their staff members, and is requesting that NGOs in effect seek agrement before adding new staff and obtain GOJ approval before soliciting new donor funds. ¶5. (SBU) Resettlement: -- (SBU) PRM TDYer Gerard Cheyne continues to work with the International Organization for Migration (IOM),UNHCR, and others in Jordan to establish a system for stepped-up U.S. processing of Iraqis as refugees, particularly those with USG connections. In fiscal year 2006, the USG admitted 41 Iraqis from Jordan as refugees; it has admitted none so far in fiscal 2007. -- (SBU) The International Organization for Migration (IOM), which processes refugees for U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) is moving ahead with expansion of its office space to cope with anticipated increased numbers of Iraqi refugees bound for the U.S. ¶6. (SBU) Assessment of refugee conditions and numbers: -- (SBU) The Norwegian NGO FAFO tells post that it has already started work on its assessment project. It has not yet finalized its MOU with the GOJ, but FAFO's regional director told RefCoord that GOJ officials have indicated it will be finalized shortly; this has not impeded FAFO from undertaking its mission. The GOJ continues to seek FAFO's help in estimating the cost of expanding social services to Iraqis, using GOJ-collected data. ¶7. (SBU) Education Assistance: -- (C) The GOJ states it does not have adequate resources to school Iraqi children. It would welcome direct assistance to the Jordanian government education system. However, GOJ officials stressed to visiting A/S Sauerbrey in March that they would not permit parallel institutions akin to UNWRA to develop in Jordan, and welcomed her suggestion that UNICEF or other UN agencies could provide assistance to the Jordanian education system as a whole, assistance not linked to refugees (ref B). -- (C) However, UNHCR has designated Save the Children as its lead implementer for education assistance to Iraqi children. UNHCR and Save the Children have attempted to engage with the Ministry of Education with proposals that include the provision of pre-fabricated schoolrooms, but they report they are making little progress. A history of bad relations between UNHCR and the GOJ is likely one factor in this situation. -- (C) Similarly, despite reports (ref c) that the Government of Iraq was considering offering assistance for Iraqis in Jordan, the Jordanian MFA tells post it has not yet received an offer from Iraq. Jordan's response to any offer will likely track with its posture toward other donors: it will welcome assistance to and through the Jordanian education system, but will not support approaches that it believes might grow into a parallel system for Iraqis. -- (C) Ambassador will raise issues related to education for Iraqis with GID chief Dahabi on May 1. ¶8. (C) Post will continue to engage with the Jordanian leadership in pursuit of the objectives outlined ref A. Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ HALE