KING ABDULLAH'S LOW KEY MOSCOW VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 000390

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL JO RS
SUBJECT: KING ABDULLAH'S LOW KEY MOSCOW VISIT

Classified By: Ambassador William J. Burns for reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) Jordanian King Abdullah met Putin and his presumptive
successor, First Deputy Prime Minister Medvedev, during a
February 11 visit that focused on maintaining continuity in
Russia-Jordan relations. MFA First Secretary Elbrus
Kutrashev and Jordanian Consul Hasan Saraireh told us
separately that Abdullah came to Moscow to see Putin for the
last time as President and meet Medvedev for the first time,
with the goal of consolidating the strong
professional/personal relationship that had marked recent
Russian-Jordanian ties. This was Abdullah's eighth Moscow
meeting with Putin since 2001, a period that saw significant
improvement in Russian-Jordanian relations, including Putin's
historic 2007 visit to Amman.


2. (C) The MFA and Jordanian Embassy noted that Putin and
Abdullah's discussion covered a range of international and
bilateral issues, while the meeting with Medvedev was largely
a courtesy call. In a meeting with the Ambassador February
11, that preceded his session with Putin, King Abdullah said
that he found the likely future President briefed on the
Middle East peace process (MEPP) and Syria, and engaging on
the issue of Russia's economic modernization. According to
Kutrashev, Putin and Abdullah touched upon the Lebanese
political crisis, the situation in Iraq, and the MEPP. They
discussed Russia's proposed Annapolis follow-on conference in
Moscow, which both sides agreed should only take place when
conditions in the region allowed. Saraireh said that Putin
told Abdullah all parties must participate, including a
unified Palestinian delegation that included Fatah and Hamas.
Saraireh speculated that if Putin maintained this
requirement, his chances of presiding over the meeting as
President would be considerably low.


3. (C) On the bilateral agenda, Putin and Abdullah expressed
strong interest in deepening economic cooperation.
Specifically, Kutrashev said the two leaders discussed steps
to stimulate Russian investment in Jordan, the possible
purchase by Jordan of Russian civilian and military aircraft,
and construction of a nuclear power plant by Rosatom.
Saraireh told us that each of these issues had been under
discussion for some time, and that Abdullah's visit did not
lead to any final agreements. Russia and Jordan could soon
sign an agreement on nuclear cooperation that includes
locating a site for a nuclear reactor, but, Saraireh added,
if Jordan eventually purchased a power plant from Russia or
another country, it could be 2015 before it was operational.


4. (C) Both Kutrashev and Saraireh offered similar
assessments of the personal diplomacy that has been integral
to improved Russian-Jordanian relations. Russian interest in
Jordan stemmed from its goal to expand ties, especially
economic ones, with the Middle East. Jordan, meanwhile, was
anxious to tap into Russian trade and investment that had
largely gone to neighbors such as Israel and Saudi Arabia.
While these factors produced a commonality of interests,
Jordan's small economy and lack of oil precluded intensive
Russian interest in the country. Relations were enhanced,
however, by King Abdullah's personal diplomacy, and a
relationship with Putin developed over the course of several
years. The hope was, especially on the Jordanian side, that
Abdullah might begin to know Medvedev and ensure Russian
interest in maintaining the existing level of bilateral ties.
BURNS