JORDANIAN AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ TO PRESENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002680 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/16/2018 TAGS: PREL IZ JO SUBJECT: JORDANIAN AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ TO PRESENT CREDENTIALS FOLLOWING EID AL-FITR REF: AMMAN 2675 Classified By: DCM Lawrence Mandel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Nayef al-Zeidan, the Jordanian Ambassador to Iraq (Ref A),has delayed his departure for Baghdad until after the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which ends October 3rd. Muhammad al-Khalidi, the newly appointed Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, informed POLOFF on September 16 that Zeidan had not yet departed because no senior Iraqi officials were present to accept his credentials in Baghdad. Note: According to Khalidi, Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari is attending UNGA and President Talibani is also unavailable (NFI). End Note. Other Jordanian Embassy staff mentioned in reftel are currently in Baghdad preparing for Zeidan's arrival. Visit Amman's Classified Web Site http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ Beecroft