Participants in Jordan-hosted Third Neighbors Conference on

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003301

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA AND PRM/ANE

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: PREF EAID PREL JO
SUBJECT: Participants in Jordan-hosted Third Neighbors Conference on
Iraqi Refugees Call on Iraq to Do More

REFS: A) AMMAN 868, B) 07 AMMAN 3208


1. (SBU) Summary: Jordan hosted the Third Iraqi Refugees Neighbors
(host countries) Conference on November 20, bringing together
representatives from Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the
UN, the Arab League, and the International Red Cross/Red Crescent.
Observers included the U.S., led by PRM/ANE Director Elizabeth
Hopkins, the UK, EU, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
The meeting provided a forum for the exchange of views and data,
but produced no new initiatives or policy changes. The participants
and observers instead limited themselves to reviews of new
information amassed since the March 2008 conference (ref A). Host
countries reaffirmed their commitment not to deport Iraqis, reported
low repatriation numbers, complained about strains on their
infrastructures, and repeatedly called on Iraq to do more for its
displaced citizens. End summary.

Host Countries and Iraq Disagree on Repatriation Levels
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2. (SBU) In his conference intervention, Iraqi representative,
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hajj Hmoud, reported a great
number of Iraqi refugees were returning as a result of improving
security conditions in Iraq. Jordanian Foreign Minister Saleh
Al-Bashir in his intervention, contradicted his Iraqi colleague
saying that only a few hundred Iraqis had returned from Jordan. The
Syrian representative reported that only 500 Iraqis had been
repatriated from his country, implying that the number was not
significant.

Host Countries Assert Iraq Could Ease Refugee Burden
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3. (SBU) All of the hosting countries reaffirmed their commitment
not to force Iraqis to return home. However, they all highlighted
the need for additional international support for refugees in their
countries. Jordan's delegate, Ministry of Planning and
International Cooperation Secretary General Nasser Shraideh told
conferees that Iraqis further strained limited resources and
burdened the Jordanian infrastructure. He did not provide, however,
any estimates of the annual cost or total number of Iraqi refugees
living in Jordan. He called for more funding from the international
community and the Government of Iraq (GOI) to sustain refugees while
in Jordan


4. (SBU) The Syrian representative asserted that the SARG had
immigration records proving that 1.5 million Iraqis were resident in
Syria, of whom 1.1 million have been registered and processed by
Syrian immigration authorities, at an estimated annual cost of USD 2
billion. While acknowledging international support, he added that
GOI's assistance was "not worth mentioning."


5. (SBU) Lebanon's representative said his country hosted tens of
thousands of Iraqi refugees, alleging most entered the country
illegally, making the provision of assistance difficult. He added
that most Iraqis lived in southern Beirut and the surrounding
Palestinian refugee camps, thus straining the economically less
fortunate areas. A representative of the Lebanese Public Security
Department commented that 50 percent of Iraqi refugees were Shiites,
30 percent Christians, and 20 percent Sunnis. The representative
added that Iraqi refugees were allowed to work under specific
conditions, including that they have an employer, support a family,
and have children attending school. He made an appeal for more
assistance from Iraq, saying the USD 2 million transferred to date
did not meet Lebanese expectations.

Donor Contributions Will Continue; Iraq Should Do More
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6. (SBU) In their interventions, donor countries listed the efforts
to assist Iraqis through resettlement, asylum, or humanitarian
assistance. The EU, represented by Chief of Iraq Coordination Jobst
Van Kirchmann, described its efforts through ECHO and direct
assistance from the Commission. Other bilateral donors joined Syria
and Jordan in calling for Iraq to play a greater role in assisting
the Iraqi refugee community.

UN Focus on Minorities and Palestinian Refugees in Iraq
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7. (SBU) The UN delegation was made up of UNAMI and UNHCR staff.
UNHCR Representative Radhouane Nouicer, as head of the delegation,
noted the main cause of Iraqi displacement was terrorism that
targeted minority religious sects. Nouicer called for the
protection of Palestinian refugees in Iraq and for assistance to
vulnerable refugees such as single mothers and children. He
reported 306,000 Iraqi refugees had registered with UNHCR -- 221,000
in Syria and 53,000 in Jordan.


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Jordan and U.N. Praise U.S. Efforts
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8. (SBU) Nouicer said his organization had received 48,000
resettlement applications from Iraqis in MENA countries, and thanked
the U.S. for accepting 15,170 refugees out of the 21,000 already
settled. Shraideh also thanked the U.S. as well as the EU for
assistance provided to cover Iraqi refugees' expenses. The Syrian
representative neither thanked nor criticized the U.S. and said his
government was willing to cooperate directly with donor governments.


On the Margins, Iraqis Remain Skeptical
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9. (SBU) EmbOffs overheard Iraqi Ambassador Saad Al-Hayani tell the
UNHCR representative that estimates of Iraqi refugees in host
countries were unrealistic, citing as an example the alleged 120,000
- 150,000 Iraqi refugees living in Egypt. Iraqi Deputy Minister of
Human Rights Hussein Al-Zuhairi was also overheard telling the UN
delegation that host countries' demands of the GOI were "radical;"
he specifically criticized Jordan for taking a very long time to
accept USD 8 million.


10. (U) This message has been coordinated with PRM.

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

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