Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AMMAN2709
2009-12-15 06:40:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Amman
Cable title:
JORDAN: REACTIONS TO PM NEGATIVE; CABINET SWORN IN
how-toVZCZCXRO6830 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHAM #2709/01 3490640 ZNY SSSSS ZZH R 150640Z DEC 09 ZFR FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6515 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 0402
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 002709
///CANCEL - RESENT UNDER NEW MRN ///////////////////////////////////
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: REACTIONS TO PM NEGATIVE; CABINET SWORN IN
AMMAN 00002709 001.2 OF 003
Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft per Reasons 1.4(b) and (d
)
AMMAN 00002709 002 OF 003
Dr. Walid Ma'ani
-Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources: Dr. Khaled
Irani
-Minister of Environment: Hazem Malhas
-Minister of Trade and Industry: Amer al-Hadidi *
-Minister of Social Development: Hala Latouf *
-Minister of Tourism and Antiquities: Maha Khatib *
-Minister of Culture: Nabih Shuqum
-Minister of Public Sector Development: Imad Fakhoury
-Minister of Agriculture: Saed Masri *
-Minister of Transportation: Ala'a Batayneh
-Minister of Public Works and Housing: Dr. Mohammed
Obeidat
-Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs: Abd al-Salam
al-Abbadi
-Minister of Water and Irrigation: Mohammed Najjar
-Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs: Tawfiq
Khraishan
-Minister of State for Prime-ministerial Affairs: Jamal
al-Shamayleh
-Minister of State for Municipal Affairs: Ali al-Ghazawi
* - Incumbent under previous government
** - Incumbent as Interior Minister; promoted to Deputy PM
*** - New Deputy PM
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER BIOS
--------------
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior: Nayef al-Qadi
5. (C//NF) Qadi, a Muslim East Banker, was born in
Hawsha, near Mafraq, in 1944. He is the son of a prominent
sheikh from the Bani Khaled tribe. Qadi obtained his BA in
political science from Baghdad University. He is a career
diplomat with at least three decades of experience, primarily
in the Arab world, with tours in Iraq as DCM (1969-73),
London as Consul (1973-80),Representative to the Arab League
(1980-83),DCM in Beirut (1983-89),Ambassador to Qatar
(1989-93),and Ambassador to Egypt (1993-94). He was part of
the delegation that negotiated the Jordanian-Israeli peace
treaty. Qadi was appointed to the upper house of parliament
in 1997, where he served until being appointed Minister of
Interior (1998-2000). Qadi oversaw the closure of HAMAS's
Jordan office in 1999. Qadi has the reputation of being an
East Bank conservative par excellence, and is considered to
be anti-Palestinian as well as an outright opponent of
reform.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Economic
Affairs: Dr Rajai Muasher
6. (S//NF) Muasher was born 2 January 1944 to a wealthy
East Bank Christian family in Amman. He holds a BA in
business administration from the American University in
Beirut (1963) and a PhD in marketing and business from the
University of Illinois (1969). During 1970-74, Muasher
joined the Royal Scientific Society and served as director of
its economic department. Muasher headed the National Economy
Ministry (later the Ministry of Trade and Industry) during
1974-76 and headed that ministry again from 1985-87. In 1984
he established the Ahlia Financial Investment Company, which
eventually became the Jordan Ahli Bank, an institution that
claims to be the third largest in Jordan with regional
offices in Lebanon, Cyprus, and the West Bank. He served as
member of the upper house of parliament during 1993-2005.
Muasher is a member of the Jordan Banker's Association and on
the board of trustees for the King Hussein Cancer Foundation.
Muasher's is one of the most well known anti-reform
personalities in Jordan. Muasher is an associate of the
premier's father, Zayd al-Rifa'i, and is part of the East
Banker core that Zayd represented in the Senate.
AMMAN 00002709 003 OF 003
7. (S//NF) COMMENT. Initial reactions have been critical
of the ministerial lineup particularly because the premier
and his deputy prime ministers are considered to be
conservative East Bankers with little interest in advancing
reforms. Rifa'i, Qadi, and Muasher leading the group makes
the future of existing reform efforts in Jordan fairly bleak
and it is unclear to what extent the trio will prevent
additional efforts from yielding meaningful results. Samir
Rifa'i's appointment is unlikely to cause short-term damage
to the Jordanian-US relationship, but the trio's resistance
to social, political, and economic reforms is likely to cause
longer term difficulties. END COMMENT.
Beecroft
///CANCEL - RESENT UNDER NEW MRN ///////////////////////////////////
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: REACTIONS TO PM NEGATIVE; CABINET SWORN IN
AMMAN 00002709 001.2 OF 003
Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft per Reasons 1.4(b) and (d
)
AMMAN 00002709 002 OF 003
Dr. Walid Ma'ani
-Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources: Dr. Khaled
Irani
-Minister of Environment: Hazem Malhas
-Minister of Trade and Industry: Amer al-Hadidi *
-Minister of Social Development: Hala Latouf *
-Minister of Tourism and Antiquities: Maha Khatib *
-Minister of Culture: Nabih Shuqum
-Minister of Public Sector Development: Imad Fakhoury
-Minister of Agriculture: Saed Masri *
-Minister of Transportation: Ala'a Batayneh
-Minister of Public Works and Housing: Dr. Mohammed
Obeidat
-Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs: Abd al-Salam
al-Abbadi
-Minister of Water and Irrigation: Mohammed Najjar
-Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs: Tawfiq
Khraishan
-Minister of State for Prime-ministerial Affairs: Jamal
al-Shamayleh
-Minister of State for Municipal Affairs: Ali al-Ghazawi
* - Incumbent under previous government
** - Incumbent as Interior Minister; promoted to Deputy PM
*** - New Deputy PM
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER BIOS
--------------
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior: Nayef al-Qadi
5. (C//NF) Qadi, a Muslim East Banker, was born in
Hawsha, near Mafraq, in 1944. He is the son of a prominent
sheikh from the Bani Khaled tribe. Qadi obtained his BA in
political science from Baghdad University. He is a career
diplomat with at least three decades of experience, primarily
in the Arab world, with tours in Iraq as DCM (1969-73),
London as Consul (1973-80),Representative to the Arab League
(1980-83),DCM in Beirut (1983-89),Ambassador to Qatar
(1989-93),and Ambassador to Egypt (1993-94). He was part of
the delegation that negotiated the Jordanian-Israeli peace
treaty. Qadi was appointed to the upper house of parliament
in 1997, where he served until being appointed Minister of
Interior (1998-2000). Qadi oversaw the closure of HAMAS's
Jordan office in 1999. Qadi has the reputation of being an
East Bank conservative par excellence, and is considered to
be anti-Palestinian as well as an outright opponent of
reform.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Economic
Affairs: Dr Rajai Muasher
6. (S//NF) Muasher was born 2 January 1944 to a wealthy
East Bank Christian family in Amman. He holds a BA in
business administration from the American University in
Beirut (1963) and a PhD in marketing and business from the
University of Illinois (1969). During 1970-74, Muasher
joined the Royal Scientific Society and served as director of
its economic department. Muasher headed the National Economy
Ministry (later the Ministry of Trade and Industry) during
1974-76 and headed that ministry again from 1985-87. In 1984
he established the Ahlia Financial Investment Company, which
eventually became the Jordan Ahli Bank, an institution that
claims to be the third largest in Jordan with regional
offices in Lebanon, Cyprus, and the West Bank. He served as
member of the upper house of parliament during 1993-2005.
Muasher is a member of the Jordan Banker's Association and on
the board of trustees for the King Hussein Cancer Foundation.
Muasher's is one of the most well known anti-reform
personalities in Jordan. Muasher is an associate of the
premier's father, Zayd al-Rifa'i, and is part of the East
Banker core that Zayd represented in the Senate.
AMMAN 00002709 003 OF 003
7. (S//NF) COMMENT. Initial reactions have been critical
of the ministerial lineup particularly because the premier
and his deputy prime ministers are considered to be
conservative East Bankers with little interest in advancing
reforms. Rifa'i, Qadi, and Muasher leading the group makes
the future of existing reform efforts in Jordan fairly bleak
and it is unclear to what extent the trio will prevent
additional efforts from yielding meaningful results. Samir
Rifa'i's appointment is unlikely to cause short-term damage
to the Jordanian-US relationship, but the trio's resistance
to social, political, and economic reforms is likely to cause
longer term difficulties. END COMMENT.
Beecroft