VZCZCXRO5730
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAM #3301/01 3491347
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141347Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3970
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003301 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA AND PRM/ANE 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL: N/A 
TAGS: PREF EAID PREL JO
SUBJECT: Participants in Jordan-hosted Third Neighbors Conference on 
Iraqi Refugees Call on Iraq to Do More 
 
REFS: A)  AMMAN 868, B)  07 AMMAN 3208 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Jordan hosted the Third Iraqi Refugees Neighbors 
(host countries) Conference on November 20, bringing together 
representatives from Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the 
UN, the Arab League, and the International Red Cross/Red Crescent. 
Observers included the U.S., led by PRM/ANE Director Elizabeth 
Hopkins, the UK, EU, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. 
  The meeting provided a forum for the exchange of views and data, 
but produced no new initiatives or policy changes.  The participants 
and observers instead limited themselves to reviews of new 
information amassed since the March 2008 conference (ref A).  Host 
countries reaffirmed their commitment not to deport Iraqis, reported 
low repatriation numbers, complained about strains on their 
infrastructures, and repeatedly called on Iraq to do more for its 
displaced citizens.    End summary. 
 
Host Countries and Iraq Disagree on Repatriation Levels 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) In his conference intervention, Iraqi representative, 
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hajj Hmoud, reported a great 
number of Iraqi refugees were returning as a result of improving 
security conditions in Iraq.  Jordanian Foreign Minister Saleh 
Al-Bashir in his intervention, contradicted his Iraqi colleague 
saying that only a few hundred Iraqis had returned from Jordan.  The 
Syrian representative reported that only 500 Iraqis had been 
repatriated from his country, implying that the number was not 
significant. 
 
Host Countries Assert Iraq Could Ease Refugee Burden 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) All of the hosting countries reaffirmed their commitment 
not to force Iraqis to return home.  However, they all highlighted 
the need for additional international support for refugees in their 
countries.  Jordan's delegate, Ministry of Planning and 
International Cooperation Secretary General Nasser Shraideh told 
conferees that Iraqis further strained limited resources and 
burdened the Jordanian infrastructure. He did not provide, however, 
any estimates of the annual cost or total number of Iraqi refugees 
living in Jordan.  He called for more funding from the international 
community and the Government of Iraq (GOI) to sustain refugees while 
in Jordan 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Syrian representative asserted that the SARG had 
immigration records proving that 1.5 million Iraqis were resident in 
Syria, of whom 1.1 million have been registered and processed by 
Syrian immigration authorities, at an estimated annual cost of USD 2 
billion.  While acknowledging international support, he added that 
GOI's assistance was "not worth mentioning." 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Lebanon's representative said his country hosted tens of 
thousands of Iraqi refugees, alleging most entered the country 
illegally, making the provision of assistance difficult.  He added 
that most Iraqis lived in southern Beirut and the surrounding 
Palestinian refugee camps, thus straining the economically less 
fortunate areas.  A representative of the Lebanese Public Security 
Department commented that 50 percent of Iraqi refugees were Shiites, 
30 percent Christians, and 20 percent Sunnis.  The representative 
added that Iraqi refugees were allowed to work under specific 
conditions, including that they have an employer, support a family, 
and have children attending school.  He made an appeal for more 
assistance from Iraq, saying the USD 2 million transferred to date 
did not meet Lebanese expectations. 
 
Donor Contributions Will Continue; Iraq Should Do More 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) In their interventions, donor countries listed the efforts 
to assist Iraqis through resettlement, asylum, or humanitarian 
assistance.  The EU, represented by Chief of Iraq Coordination Jobst 
Van Kirchmann, described its efforts through ECHO and direct 
assistance from the Commission.  Other bilateral donors joined Syria 
and Jordan in calling for Iraq to play a greater role in assisting 
the Iraqi refugee community. 
 
UN Focus on Minorities and Palestinian Refugees in Iraq 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) The UN delegation was made up of UNAMI and UNHCR staff. 
UNHCR Representative Radhouane Nouicer, as head of the delegation, 
noted the main cause of Iraqi displacement was terrorism that 
targeted minority religious sects.  Nouicer called for the 
protection of Palestinian refugees in Iraq and for assistance to 
vulnerable refugees such as single mothers and children.  He 
reported 306,000 Iraqi refugees had registered with UNHCR -- 221,000 
in Syria and 53,000 in Jordan. 
 
 
AMMAN 00003301  002 OF 002 
 
 
Jordan and U.N. Praise U.S. Efforts 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Nouicer said his organization had received 48,000 
resettlement applications from Iraqis in MENA countries, and thanked 
the U.S. for accepting 15,170 refugees out of the 21,000 already 
settled.  Shraideh also thanked the U.S. as well as the EU for 
assistance provided to cover Iraqi refugees' expenses.  The Syrian 
representative neither thanked nor criticized the U.S.  and said his 
government was willing to cooperate directly with donor governments. 
 
 
On the Margins, Iraqis Remain Skeptical 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) EmbOffs overheard Iraqi Ambassador Saad Al-Hayani tell the 
UNHCR representative that estimates of Iraqi refugees in host 
countries were unrealistic, citing as an example the alleged 120,000 
- 150,000 Iraqi refugees living in Egypt.  Iraqi Deputy Minister of 
Human Rights Hussein Al-Zuhairi was also overheard telling the UN 
delegation that host countries' demands of the GOI were "radical;" 
he specifically criticized Jordan for taking a very long time to 
accept USD 8 million. 
 
¶10.  (U) This message has been coordinated with PRM. 
 
Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman 
 
BEECROFT