JORDAN'S RESPONSE TO FOLLOW-UP DEMARCHE ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 004604 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA/ELA E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ JO SUBJECT: JORDAN'S RESPONSE TO FOLLOW-UP DEMARCHE ON AMBASSADOR CROCKER'S REGIONAL TRAVEL REF: STATE 157485 Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Jordanian Foreign Abdelelah al-Khatib November 18. The FM told Ambassador that the GOJ is moving to post an ambassador in Baghdad, and is currently drafting its agrement request for retired Jordanian Armed Forces General Zuhair Damour to be the next Jordanian Ambassador to Iraq. ¶2. (C) The GOJ concurs with the idea of hosting a second meeting of the Refugees Working Group of the Iraqi Neighbors Group. The GOJ is also open to the idea of seconding Jordanian staff to the Neighbors Support Mechanism in Baghdad, but only if the body is located at UNAMI-Baghdad - which the GOJ firmly believes should have this support role - not if the support mechanism is at the Iraqi MFA. ¶3. (C) With a new government and new Foreign Minister expected in Jordan following the November 20 elections, Ambassador will work with the Royal Court, GID and the new cabinet to ensure action on these issues. Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ Hale