MONTHLY REOPRT--JORDAN BUREAU--MARCH 1986

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP94-00798R000200250016-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 2, 2012
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: April 3, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/02 : CIA-RDP94-00798R000200250016-1
3 April 1986
MJN 8608
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
THROUGH : Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT : Monthly Report--Jordan Bureau--March 1986
A. Monitorial/Editorial
1. The long-awaited PLO response to King Husayn's highly critical 19
February speech terminating political coordination with the PLO came on 8
March. The PLO-authorized official text of the statement was processed from
Amman Television Service. The conciliatory tone of the PLO statement indica-
ted that the PLO felt they had won this round in the propaganda showdown with
King Husayn. Local reaction to the PLO statement, coming as it did in the af-
termath of the assassination o:f the moderate Palestinian mayor of Nabulus, Zaher
al-Masri, seemed to bear out the PLO view.
2. "Sporadic" still, unfortunately, describes the receipt of Iraqi papers
at the bureau. Just when we have about finally given up, a batch or two of
papers arrives, sometimes even in duplicate from two suppliers. We have now
again been assured that the delivery problems have been resolved and that we
will be getting regular deliveries.
B. Lateral Services
1. At the request of the embassy political section, the bureau prepared
the embassy's daily "Arabic Media Review" the week of 16-20 March while the
regular writer was hospitalized. The review, prepared by three separate moni-
tors in turn, provided an opportunity for them to become more closely attuned
to embassy needs and interests. The political section was effusive in its
praise for our stand-in job.
2. In response to a request from USAID, the bureau translated approximate-
ly 25 local press articles on reaction to the on-again, off-again government
agricultural price controls on fruits and vegetables. AID wanted the materials
to use in the ongoing efforts to convince the Jordanian Government of the ben-
efits to removing price controls. We are continuing to process similar items
as they appear.
II. VISITS
A. To the Bureau
1. FBIS Director
ATT: Monthly Production Report
21-24 March.
STAT
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/02 : CIA-RDP94-00798R000200250016-1 ,,.