VZCZCXRO3808
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAM #0563 0521456
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211456Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1855
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 5812
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0021
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0647
RUEHRBA/REO BASRAH 0003
RUEHIHL/REO HILLAH 0001
RUEHKUK/REO KIRKUK 0006

UNCLAS AMMAN 000563 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/I, S/I, PRM, AMBASSADOR FOLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PREL PGOV JO IZ
SUBJECT: Jordan Exempts Departing Iraqis From Fees; Introduces New 
Visa Procedures 
 
REFS: A) Amman 532 
      B) Amman 486 
 
Sensitive but unclassified; please protect accordingly.  Not for 
internet distribution or use outside the USG. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) The Jordanian Ministry of Interior (MOI) announced 
February 13 it would fully exempt departing Iraqis from overstay 
fines, and would waive 50 percent of the fines for Iraqis who choose 
to stay in Jordan providing they correct/update their status by 
March 17, 2008, a date extended until April 17 in a subsequent 
announcement (ref B).  In the initial announcement, MOI also 
confirmed that all Iraqis will need visas to enter Jordan, and that 
visa procedures "would be announced soon."  The MOI said Iraqis 
located in Iraq would have to use courier service provider "TNT 
Express" for their applications, while those outside of Iraq would 
have to apply at Jordanian embassies. 
 
Despite Announcement, Questions Remain 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) In previous meetings with EmbOffs, Iraqi Ambassador to 
Jordan Saad Al-Hayani lamented that many Iraqis in Jordan could not 
afford to pay any overstay fees, and still feared being permanently 
banned from reentry to Jordan if they departed.  Nevertheless, Iraqi 
DCM Muhammad Shabout told us on February 17 that the consular 
section received a high volume of inquires about the MOI 
announcement from Iraqis interested in returning home.  Shabout said 
he believed "a good number" of Iraqis would be willing to return 
now.  Shabout also said the Iraqi Embassy had queried Baghdad about 
GOI plans to provide financial assistance to Iraqis returning home. 
Shabout further confirmed that the GOI had previously provided USD 
800 per returning family. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Iraqi Embassy officials told EconOffs that the Jordanian 
decision was still not clear to them, "as the main issue was [the 
GOJ's prior] placement of Iraqis on a permanent reentry ban, and not 
the fees."  The Iraqi Embassy has requested further clarification 
from the MOI.  MOI officials initially told EmbOffs that no 
permanent ban would be placed on those Iraqis departing Jordan who 
have been exempted from the overstay fees (ref B).  During his 
February 18 briefing for the Amman diplomatic corps, UNHCR High 
Commissioner Antonio Guterres said that the GOJ told him their 
officers would cease placing the red-starred stamp, which precludes 
reentry, on passports of departing Iraqis unable to pay their 
overstay fines (ref A).  Guterres described this move as an 
important symbolic gesture. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) COMMENT: Despite assurances that Iraqis departing Jordan 
should not fear being permanently banned from reentering, unclear 
criteria for visa issuance and a track record of at-times arbitrary 
enforcement at the borders might deter many Iraqis from departing 
because there remain no guarantees they will be able to return to 
Jordan later.  In any event, UNHCR and others who work closely with 
Iraqis believe that Iraqi refugees are better-informed about 
developments in Iraq than many government and international 
officials, and will make the decision to go home when conditions 
allow.  END COMMENT. 
 
Visit Amman's Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.gov.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ 
 
HALE