PM DAHABI'S PLANNED TRAVEL TO BAGHDAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 000573

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA AND NEA/I

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2019
TAGS: PREL IZ JO
SUBJECT: PM DAHABI'S PLANNED TRAVEL TO BAGHDAD

REF: A. 08 AMMAN 2381

B. AMMAN 460

C. AMMAN 472

Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Jordan's Prime Minister Nader Al-Dahabi told
Ambassador in a recent conversation that he plans to lead a
ministerial delegation to Baghdad in the near future, without
specifying a date. According to a senior ministerial source
quoted in local press, the Jordanian delegation hopes to
discuss issues including political and economic relations
between the countries and the status of Jordanian prisoners
in Iraqi jails.


2. (C) Khalid Al-Qadi, Director of the Political Section of
the Prime Minister's private office, told PolChief that
Jordan hopes to announce several, primarily economic,
agreements during the visit. Qadi noted that the details of
the delegation's travel are being kept vague due to security
concerns but advised that Jordan's ambassador to Iraq, who is
in Amman awaiting completion of the Jordanian Chancery in
Baghdad, almost certainly would accompany the PM on his trip.
Qadi said this trip is the most recent in a series of
political overtures to Iraq and that Jordan hopes that Iraq
will reciprocate, not only by developing economic ties but
also cooperating on shared political interests.


3. (C) Center for Strategic Studies Director Nawaf Tel, who
retains the Foreign Ministry's Iraq multilateral portfolio,
echoed Qadi's comments, saying Iraq needed to do more to
build on the bilateral relationship. Iraq had yet to respond
to Jordan's political outreach with concrete steps to improve
economic ties, which is Iraq's side of the bargain for an
overall improved relationship, Tel asserted.


4. (C) Comment: A Jordanian delegation headed by Dahabi
would represent the highest level visit since King Abdullah
traveled to Baghdad in August 2008 (Ref A). Following
Jordan's announcement of liberalized immigration and
residency regulations targeted at Iraqi investors (Ref B),
Dahabi's travel reflects Jordan's continued hopes that
engagement will bring closer ties and economic benefits,
especially during the global downturn (Ref C). End Comment.


Visit Amman's Classified Website at
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Beecroft