JORDAN: REACTIONS TO PM NEGATIVE; CABINET SWORN IN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 002791 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PINR JO SUBJECT: JORDAN: REACTIONS TO PM NEGATIVE; CABINET SWORN IN Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft per Reasons 1.4(b) and (d ) ¶1. (S//NF) SUMMARY: The appointment of Samir al-Rifa'i on December 9 as Jordanian Prime Minister has been met by largely negative reactions from Embassy contacts and domestic media outlets. His ability to lead a new Cabinet has been questioned by Jordanian officials, political and business elites, Jordanian bloggers, and in the domestic press. ¶2. (S//NF) The Cabinet, sworn in today, is listed below, and appears at first glance to be comprised largely of individuals considered to be conservative and anti-reform minded, particularly deputy prime ministers Nayef al-Qadi and Rajai Muasher. Gauging from the presence of these two East Bank hardliners, we are concerned that already-stalled social, political, and economic reforms will be even further stymied. General reactions are negative thus far--this Cabinet is extremely reactionary and not a group expected to promote a serious reform agenda. END SUMMARY. THE RISE OF "SAMIR-ITHANI" ("SAMIR THE SECOND") : NEGATIVE COMMENTARY FROM ALL SIDES -------------- -------------- ¶3. (S//NF) Elites in political circles are pointing to a nickname that Jordanian bloggers have given the new premier--"Samir-ithani" ("Samir the Second")--as an example of the kind of negative dynastic family reputation that precedes Rifa'i in Jordan. (Comment: Rifa'i's grandfather and namesake was a political figure and served as premier several times during his decades serving in various government capacities. Zayd al-Rifa'i, the current premier's father, served in various political roles as well as premier several times during his 5-decade political career before stepping down from his role in the Senate on December 12. The nickname also appears to be an allusion intended to mirror the King's name, Abdullah II, likening the Rifa'i family to the royal family, whose lineage contains the inheritance of names as well as titles. Senior Jordanian officials made clear that the elder Rifa'i's resignation was intended as damage control in response to concerns about the family being in the executive and legislative branches of government simultaneously. However, it seems to have done little in alleviating public angst that the new prime minister is not up to the task and that the Rifa'i family has joined the ranks of political dynasties in Jordan. End comment.) All contacts are concerned about the new premier's lack of government experience, assume he is a puppet of his father or family, or resent the appointment because it is perceived to have been made based on the friendship between the monarch and the prime minister, not on the premier's professional qualifications. THE NEW CABINET -------------- ¶4. (U) Rifa'i's new Cabinet, sworn in December 14, consists of the following officials: -Prime Minister and Minister of Defense: Samir al-Rifa'i -Deputy PM and Minister of the Interior: Nayef al-Qadi ** -Deputy PM and Minister of State for Economic Affairs: Dr Rajai Muasher *** -Minister of Foreign Affairs: Nasser Judeh * -Minister of Health: Dr. Nayef El Fayez * -Minister of Political Development: Musa Ma'aytah * -Minister of Justice: Ayman Odeh * -Minister of Planning and International Cooperation: Dr Ja'afar Hassan -Minister of Finance: Dr. Mohammed Abu Hammour -Minister of Labor: Dr. Ibrahim Omoush -Minister of Communication and Information Technology: Marwan Juma -Minister of Media Affairs and Communication: Nabil al-Sharif * -Minister of Education: Ibrahim Badran -Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research: AMMAN 00002791 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 00002791 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