JORDAN RESPONDS POSITIVELY TO ARMS OVERFLIGHT

S E C R E T AMMAN 000895 SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/CPI THOMAS ZARZECKI, NEA/ELA, AF/E, AND T E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2019 TAGS: PARM PINS PREL PTER MARR JO SUBJECT: JORDAN RESPONDS POSITIVELY TO ARMS OVERFLIGHT DEMARCHE FOLLOW-UP REF: A. STATE 34041 ¶B. AMMAN 716 Classified By: Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Natalie E. Brown for re asons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Polchief met on April 15 with Nabil Masarweh, Office Director of the Foreign Minister, to convey appreciation for Jordan's timely response and cooperation following the March 17 and 18 demarche on the possible transfer of military equipment to Sudan (ref B). Polchief said that the U.S. might request similar assistance if this problem arises again and drawing from ref A, reviewed the rationale for such requests. Masarweh said he would convey the information to the Foreign Minister, Prime Minister, and appropriate officials in the General Intelligence Department, and the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF). ¶2. (S) DATT Off spoke in separate meetings with MG Talal Al Kufahy, JAF Chief of Military Intelligence, and MG Mohammad Sulieman Alrou'd, JAF Chief of Operations, to convey the same points. Both officials indicated their desire to continue close cooperation with the U.S. on counter-terrorism issues. MG Alrou'd, in particular, emphasized the protections offered by Jordan's excellent border security, which he says prevent Jordan from becoming a transit point for arms between Syria, Hamas, and Hezbollah. Both officials indicated they would brief the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Khalid Al-Sarayreh, on the subject. ¶3. (C) Comment: Our cooperation with Jordan, including on counter-terrorism and arms trafficking, is very strong. Jordan can be expected to respond proactively to future requests for assistance as they did in the March 17 and 18 case. End Comment. Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman Brown