Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE104902
2008-10-01 17:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:
SUBJECT: (C) A/S WELCH,S MEETING WITH JORDANIAN
how-toR 011746Z OCT 08 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO AMEMBASSY AMMAN INFO AMEMBASSY CAIRO AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 104902
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2018
TAGS: IS PREL PGOV JO UN
SUBJECT: SUBJECT: (C) A/S WELCH,S MEETING WITH JORDANIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER SALAH AL-BASHIR ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2008
Classified By:
C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 104902
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2018
TAGS: IS PREL PGOV JO UN
SUBJECT: SUBJECT: (C) A/S WELCH,S MEETING WITH JORDANIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER SALAH AL-BASHIR ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2008
Classified By: 1. CLASSIFIED BY NEA ASSISTANT SECRETARY DAVID WELCH
REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D)
2. (C) September 29, 2008; 4:30 p.m.; New York, NY.
3. (C) Participants:
U.S.
A/S David Welch,
Heather Kalmbach (Staff Assistant),
Adam Vaccaro (Notetaker)
Jordan
Foreign Minister Bashir,
Jordanian Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Mohammad Al Allaf
Jordanian Ambassador to the U.S. Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein,
4. (C) SUMMARY. A/S Welch met with Jordanian Foreign
Minister Bashir on the sidelines of the UN General
Assembly on September 29, 2008. The discussion focused
on the recent U.S.-Jordan Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU); the Quartet and peace process; and the U.S.
administration transition, including the status of U.S.
efforts in the peace process. Other topics addressed
included: upcoming GCC 3 and P5 1 meetings; the stalled
civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Jordan; efforts
to amend the recent Jordanian NGO law; Jordan's efforts
to combat trafficking in persons; and, A/S Welch's next
planned trip to the region. END SUMMARY.
--------------
U.S.-Jordan Bilateral Assistance MOU
--------------
5. (C) FM Bashir thanked A/S Welch for U.S. support,
dialogue, and strategic outlook. FM Bashir focused on
the recently signed MOU with Jordan, which calls for $360M
per year from the Economic Support Fund and $300M per year
in Foreign Military Financing assistance. FM Bashir said
that Jordan wants a more in-depth discussion about
assistance packages in order to actively manage future
items.
--------------
Quartet
--------------
6. (C) A/S Welch said the Quartet is waiting for Tzipi
Livni to form a government and that he thinks she will
be successful in this effort. A/S Welch said the next
Quartet meeting would either occur as part of the Forum
for the Future trip in Abu Dhabi in early October or more
likely (per Secretary Rice) at the end of the same month.
A/S Welch responded to FM Bashir's question about intended
participation by saying that the meeting would be limited
to the Quartet and the parties
(Israel and the Palestinians) at the ministerial level.
FM Bashir said the Quartet should invite Arab states to
this discussion. FM Bashir said the Quartet statement
was positive but also noted that Israel's settlement
activities must stop.
-------------- --
Administration Transition and the Peace Process
-------------- --
7. (C) FM Bashir asked whether the U.S. involvement in
the peace process would soon stop and be transferred over
to the next administration's transition team. He said
that he thought that the proposed meeting with the Israelis
and Palestinians to discuss their approaches to the peace
process with the Quartet would be the last efforts in the
current U.S. administration. A/S Welch responded that the
current administration will continue to work on this issue
until the end of the administration. A/S Welch said that
the United States is waiting for Livni to form a government
and become Prime Minister. A/S Welch responded affirmatively
to FM Bashir's suggestion that the United States continue to
keep pressure and encourage both parties.
--------------
GCC 3 and P5 1 Meetings
--------------
8. (C) FM Bashir asked A/S Welch about the next GCC 3 and
P5 1 meetings. A/S Welch said the UAE will propose a
gathering in Abu Dhabi with individual countries invited,
although some parties such as China that are not attending
the Forum for the Future will not receive invitations.
A/S Welch said that UAE FM Sheikh Abdullah reached out to
the British and French for attendance.
--------------
Jordan Nuclear Cooperation
--------------
9. (C) FM Bashir said he told Under Secretary Burns that
the planned nuclear cooperation agreement is taking too
long to complete. FM Bashir said it is essential to complete
this deal before President Bush leaves office and that he
did not know the reason for this delay. A/S Welch suggested
that FM Bashir write a letter to Secretary Rice concerning
this issue.
--------------
Jordan NGO Law
--------------
10. (C) FM Bashir said Jordan's Prime Minister is open to
suggestions and reconsideration of the controversial NGO
law passed by Jordan's parliament in July.
--------------
Trafficking in Persons
--------------
11. (C) FM Bashir said that Jordan has formed two
committees to address the trafficking in persons issue
and that he will monitor this situation.
--------------
A/S Welch's Next Trip to the Region
--------------
12. (C) FM Bashir invited A/S Welch to visit Amman
during A/S Welch's next trip to the region,
which may occur in two weeks.
RICE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2018
TAGS: IS PREL PGOV JO UN
SUBJECT: SUBJECT: (C) A/S WELCH,S MEETING WITH JORDANIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER SALAH AL-BASHIR ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2008
Classified By: 1. CLASSIFIED BY NEA ASSISTANT SECRETARY DAVID WELCH
REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D)
2. (C) September 29, 2008; 4:30 p.m.; New York, NY.
3. (C) Participants:
U.S.
A/S David Welch,
Heather Kalmbach (Staff Assistant),
Adam Vaccaro (Notetaker)
Jordan
Foreign Minister Bashir,
Jordanian Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Mohammad Al Allaf
Jordanian Ambassador to the U.S. Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein,
4. (C) SUMMARY. A/S Welch met with Jordanian Foreign
Minister Bashir on the sidelines of the UN General
Assembly on September 29, 2008. The discussion focused
on the recent U.S.-Jordan Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU); the Quartet and peace process; and the U.S.
administration transition, including the status of U.S.
efforts in the peace process. Other topics addressed
included: upcoming GCC 3 and P5 1 meetings; the stalled
civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Jordan; efforts
to amend the recent Jordanian NGO law; Jordan's efforts
to combat trafficking in persons; and, A/S Welch's next
planned trip to the region. END SUMMARY.
--------------
U.S.-Jordan Bilateral Assistance MOU
--------------
5. (C) FM Bashir thanked A/S Welch for U.S. support,
dialogue, and strategic outlook. FM Bashir focused on
the recently signed MOU with Jordan, which calls for $360M
per year from the Economic Support Fund and $300M per year
in Foreign Military Financing assistance. FM Bashir said
that Jordan wants a more in-depth discussion about
assistance packages in order to actively manage future
items.
--------------
Quartet
--------------
6. (C) A/S Welch said the Quartet is waiting for Tzipi
Livni to form a government and that he thinks she will
be successful in this effort. A/S Welch said the next
Quartet meeting would either occur as part of the Forum
for the Future trip in Abu Dhabi in early October or more
likely (per Secretary Rice) at the end of the same month.
A/S Welch responded to FM Bashir's question about intended
participation by saying that the meeting would be limited
to the Quartet and the parties
(Israel and the Palestinians) at the ministerial level.
FM Bashir said the Quartet should invite Arab states to
this discussion. FM Bashir said the Quartet statement
was positive but also noted that Israel's settlement
activities must stop.
-------------- --
Administration Transition and the Peace Process
-------------- --
7. (C) FM Bashir asked whether the U.S. involvement in
the peace process would soon stop and be transferred over
to the next administration's transition team. He said
that he thought that the proposed meeting with the Israelis
and Palestinians to discuss their approaches to the peace
process with the Quartet would be the last efforts in the
current U.S. administration. A/S Welch responded that the
current administration will continue to work on this issue
until the end of the administration. A/S Welch said that
the United States is waiting for Livni to form a government
and become Prime Minister. A/S Welch responded affirmatively
to FM Bashir's suggestion that the United States continue to
keep pressure and encourage both parties.
--------------
GCC 3 and P5 1 Meetings
--------------
8. (C) FM Bashir asked A/S Welch about the next GCC 3 and
P5 1 meetings. A/S Welch said the UAE will propose a
gathering in Abu Dhabi with individual countries invited,
although some parties such as China that are not attending
the Forum for the Future will not receive invitations.
A/S Welch said that UAE FM Sheikh Abdullah reached out to
the British and French for attendance.
--------------
Jordan Nuclear Cooperation
--------------
9. (C) FM Bashir said he told Under Secretary Burns that
the planned nuclear cooperation agreement is taking too
long to complete. FM Bashir said it is essential to complete
this deal before President Bush leaves office and that he
did not know the reason for this delay. A/S Welch suggested
that FM Bashir write a letter to Secretary Rice concerning
this issue.
--------------
Jordan NGO Law
--------------
10. (C) FM Bashir said Jordan's Prime Minister is open to
suggestions and reconsideration of the controversial NGO
law passed by Jordan's parliament in July.
--------------
Trafficking in Persons
--------------
11. (C) FM Bashir said that Jordan has formed two
committees to address the trafficking in persons issue
and that he will monitor this situation.
--------------
A/S Welch's Next Trip to the Region
--------------
12. (C) FM Bashir invited A/S Welch to visit Amman
during A/S Welch's next trip to the region,
which may occur in two weeks.
RICE