Jordan Announces Revised Rules for Iraqis Entering or

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000712 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/I, PRM, AND EEB E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON PREF PREL PGOV JO IZ SUBJECT: Jordan Announces Revised Rules for Iraqis Entering or Residing in Jordan REFS: A) Amman 472 B) Amman 460 C) Amman 582 Sensitive but unclassified; please protect accordingly. Not for internet distribution or use outside the USG. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Jordanian Ministry of Interior (MOI) has issued new rules for Iraqis entering or residing in Jordan (ref B). The new, simplified regulations target Iraqi business people and investors with the goal of enhancing Jordan's economic relations with Iraq. Iraqi interlocutors welcomed the policy changes but stressed the need for implementation. It does not appear that this will have any impact on the legal status or options for Iraqis who presently live illegally in Jordan. End Summary. New Regulations Aim to Facilitate Iraqi Business -------------- --- ¶2. (U) Prime Minister Nadir Al-Dahabi approved new instructions for Iraqis entering or residing in Jordan, issued by a ministerial committee under the direction of the Ministry of Interior. Initially leaked to the press, the new rules have not yet been officially released outside the GoJ, but MOI contacts confirm that press reports were largely accurate and the regulations went into effect on February 22, 2009. Provisions reportedly include a reduction in the bank guarantee for residency from USD 150,000 to USD 50,000; special counters at ports of entry, which are designated for Iraqi investors, official delegations, and diplomats; and streamlined bureaucracy for obtaining visas, residency permits and drivers' licenses. A more detailed list of the revised rules as published on February 19, 2009 by Amman Petra-JNA Online News Service in Arabic are posted on the classified intellipedia website (Link:http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Revised_ Immigration_Regulations_for_Iraqis_in-Jordan) . Iraqis Seek Implementation -------------- ¶3. (SBU) An official of the Iraqi Embassy in Amman commented to Emboffs that the Iraqi Embassy had neither been given advanced warning of the policy change, nor provided input into the regulations. He believed Jordan had decided to ease requirements because frustration over Jordanian entry and residency procedures had sent Iraqis investors elsewhere, particularly to the Gulf and Egypt, at a time when Jordan was beginning to feel the global economic crisis (ref A). ¶4. (SBU) The Iraqi Embassy had not yet received a copy of the new official regulations to his knowledge, although he had heard that the new procedures were already being implemented at border crossings. He emphasized the importance of implementation, given that in the past "windows" designated for Iraqis often went unstaffed or Jordanian officials mistreated Iraqis. Noting that the GOJ's initiative was clearly targeted at businessmen, he stated that the Iraqi Embassy had no plans to press the Jordanians to loosen regulations for the broader refugee population. ¶5. (SBU) Several Iraqi businessmen residing in Jordan commented to Econ Specialist that the new immigration regulations for Iraqis were not as tolerant as they had hoped. They, too, believed the current economic slowdown, especially in the Jordanian property market, was behind the new policy. These businessmen commented that the most significant improvement was the reduction of the required bank deposit for residency to USD 50,000, which would help increase operating capital. In spite of these positive steps, many Iraqis still feel the Jordanian rules remain too stringent, and that requirements for Iraqis to have Jordanian visas at all remained a major obstacle to doing business in Jordan. The head of the Iraqi Business Council in Amman, Al-Zuhairi, also asserted that the GOJ was going overboard in emphasizing security over prosperity in dealing with Iraqis. UNHCR Sees New Regs as Positive Step Forward -------------- ¶6. (SBU) A representative of UNHCR in Amman viewed the new regulations as a positive step contributing to a more favorable environment for Iraqis in general, even if the provisions targeted only business people. To date, however, UNHCR had noted no practical impact from these new rules but continued to monitor the situation closely. UNHCR also recently noted a decrease in the number of Iraqis detained by the Jordanian government, thanks to new directives regarding detention (Ref C). ¶7. (SBU) Comment: Iraq has traditionally been a strategic trading partner for Jordan, but trade faltered in 2003 due to the war in AMMAN 00000712 002 OF 002 Iraq. Over the past two years, bilateral trade has regained its footing with Jordanian exports to Iraq almost doubling from $462 million in 2006 to $809 million in 2008. Jordan hopes to see the trend continue and views the new regulations as one way to enhance bilateral economic relations and investment. We have heard that Jordanian companies lobbied for such changes to facilitate meetings and business in Jordan with their Iraqi partners. Many Jordanian firms still view security in Iraq as a main obstacle to bilateral trade, which can increase shipping costs and at times presents significant logistical challenges. Visit Amman's Classified Website at: http://www.state.gov.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ BEECROFT