Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AMMAN2614
2009-12-03 14:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Amman
Cable title:
Jordan Does Not Participate in or Cooperate with Arab
how-toVZCZCXRO6546 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHAM #2614 3371400 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 031400Z DEC 09 FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6403 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
UNCLAS AMMAN 002614
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, EEB, and NEA/RA (MKELLY)
COMMERCE FOR BIS/OIC
STATE PASS USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL KBCT JO
SUBJECT: Jordan Does Not Participate in or Cooperate with Arab
League Boycott of Israel
Refs: A) STATE 120272
B) STATE 118797
D) 08 AMMAN 1992
C) 08 AMMAN 1614
UNCLAS AMMAN 002614
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, EEB, and NEA/RA (MKELLY)
COMMERCE FOR BIS/OIC
STATE PASS USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL KBCT JO
SUBJECT: Jordan Does Not Participate in or Cooperate with Arab
League Boycott of Israel
Refs: A) STATE 120272
B) STATE 118797
D) 08 AMMAN 1992
C) 08 AMMAN 1614
1. (U) The Government of Jordan (GOJ) does not participate in any
form or cooperate in any way with the Arab League Boycott or other
international boycotts of Israel. Jordan signed a peace treaty with
Israel in 1994, after which the Jordanian parliament enacted
legislation ending economic boycotts of Israel. In October 1995,
Jordan and Israel signed a Trade Agreement that built on the peace
treaty's provisions on trade whereby the two countries decided to
work towards removing trade barriers, economic discrimination, and
the boycott of goods. Since then, bilateral trade between the two
countries grew from $10 million in 1996 to about $374 million in
2008.
2. (U) In 1996, Jordan preceded Egypt in concluding a Qualifying
Industrial Zone (QIZ) agreement with the United States, under which
Jordanian goods made with a specified percentage of Israeli input
enjoy duty- and tariff-free entry to the United Sates. In 2002, the
government of Jordan ordered the dissolution of trade union agencies
that oppose normalization of ties with Israel. In 2004, amid
protests, Jordan and Israel decided to remove remaining trade
barriers by signing a new trade deal that paved the way for Israel's
first free trade agreement with an Arab state. As a result of the
agreement more than 80% of Jordan's exports to Israel and more than
50% of Israel's exports to Jordan will be exempt from duties by
2010.
3. (SBU) Despite the official GOJ position, there are regular
anti-normalization activities undertaken by opposition parties,
Islamists, and professional associations that repeatedly call for
cutting ties with Israel and abolishing the peace treaty (refs C and
D). One recent example was a letter sent by an anti-normalization
committee comprised of opposition parties, Islamists, and
professional associations to Prime Minister Nader al-Dahabi in
September 2009 urging the government to stop exporting olives to
Israel, as those exports amounted to an "act of normalization" with
Israel. In July 2009, opposition members protested against the
importation of Israeli fruits and vegetables. To break up the
demonstration, Jordanian police arrested 11 people including union
leaders. While produce from Israeli settlements in the West Bank
are not allowed into Jordan, fruits and vegetables from Israel are
imported to Jordan. However, individual sellers often remove origin
stickers from the products after they enter the country or otherwise
hide the origin of the product. Such acts do not represent GOJ
policy.
4. (U) Much to the dismay of Jordanian officials, professional
associations also often adopt policies that ostracize, formally as
well as informally, members who have contacts with Israel or
Israelis. Some associations threaten to expel members who refuse to
adhere to anti-normalization sentiments. The King on several
occasions called on associations to focus on professional issues and
not to interfere with politics.
Visit Amman's Classified Website at:
http://diplopedia.state.sgov.gov/index.php?ti tle
=Embassy_Amman
MANDEL
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, EEB, and NEA/RA (MKELLY)
COMMERCE FOR BIS/OIC
STATE PASS USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL KBCT JO
SUBJECT: Jordan Does Not Participate in or Cooperate with Arab
League Boycott of Israel
Refs: A) STATE 120272
B) STATE 118797
D) 08 AMMAN 1992
C) 08 AMMAN 1614
1. (U) The Government of Jordan (GOJ) does not participate in any
form or cooperate in any way with the Arab League Boycott or other
international boycotts of Israel. Jordan signed a peace treaty with
Israel in 1994, after which the Jordanian parliament enacted
legislation ending economic boycotts of Israel. In October 1995,
Jordan and Israel signed a Trade Agreement that built on the peace
treaty's provisions on trade whereby the two countries decided to
work towards removing trade barriers, economic discrimination, and
the boycott of goods. Since then, bilateral trade between the two
countries grew from $10 million in 1996 to about $374 million in
2008.
2. (U) In 1996, Jordan preceded Egypt in concluding a Qualifying
Industrial Zone (QIZ) agreement with the United States, under which
Jordanian goods made with a specified percentage of Israeli input
enjoy duty- and tariff-free entry to the United Sates. In 2002, the
government of Jordan ordered the dissolution of trade union agencies
that oppose normalization of ties with Israel. In 2004, amid
protests, Jordan and Israel decided to remove remaining trade
barriers by signing a new trade deal that paved the way for Israel's
first free trade agreement with an Arab state. As a result of the
agreement more than 80% of Jordan's exports to Israel and more than
50% of Israel's exports to Jordan will be exempt from duties by
2010.
3. (SBU) Despite the official GOJ position, there are regular
anti-normalization activities undertaken by opposition parties,
Islamists, and professional associations that repeatedly call for
cutting ties with Israel and abolishing the peace treaty (refs C and
D). One recent example was a letter sent by an anti-normalization
committee comprised of opposition parties, Islamists, and
professional associations to Prime Minister Nader al-Dahabi in
September 2009 urging the government to stop exporting olives to
Israel, as those exports amounted to an "act of normalization" with
Israel. In July 2009, opposition members protested against the
importation of Israeli fruits and vegetables. To break up the
demonstration, Jordanian police arrested 11 people including union
leaders. While produce from Israeli settlements in the West Bank
are not allowed into Jordan, fruits and vegetables from Israel are
imported to Jordan. However, individual sellers often remove origin
stickers from the products after they enter the country or otherwise
hide the origin of the product. Such acts do not represent GOJ
policy.
4. (U) Much to the dismay of Jordanian officials, professional
associations also often adopt policies that ostracize, formally as
well as informally, members who have contacts with Israel or
Israelis. Some associations threaten to expel members who refuse to
adhere to anti-normalization sentiments. The King on several
occasions called on associations to focus on professional issues and
not to interfere with politics.
Visit Amman's Classified Website at:
http://diplopedia.state.sgov.gov/index.php?ti tle
=Embassy_Amman
MANDEL