DEMARCHE DELIVERED: JORDAN STRESSES THAT ARAB

UNCLAS AMMAN 000146 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR NEA/ELA (GREGONIS AND ALLEN) AND NEA/RA (SCOVITCH) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAID ETRD KPAL PREL AL JO SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: JORDAN STRESSES THAT ARAB ECONOMIC SUMMIT SHOULD FOCUS ON PRESSING ECONOMIC ISSUES REF: STATE 3120 ¶1. (SBU) EconCouns reviewed reftel on the Arab Economic Summit in Kuwait with Finance Minister Dr. Hamed Kasasbeh on January 15. Kasasbeh, who was in Kuwait, welcomed U.S. views on economic integration and the global financial crisis and reported that central bank governors had discussed these topics on January 14 and finance ministers on January 15, focusing on how best to limit the impact of the crisis on their financial institutions and citizens. He expected there would be further discussion on international efforts to address the crisis as well as investment in Iraq when foreign ministers arrived on the 16th. He commented that it was clear attendees were distracted by developments in Gaza, but because of the group composition, they had been able to focus, thus far, on economic issues. ¶2. (SBU) Ambassador, who continues to engage senior GOJ officials on Gaza and efforts to negotiate a durable ceasefire, reviewed reftel points with Foreign Minister Salah Al-Bashir who said that Jordan would be as helpful as possible. Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ Beecroft