DCM EXPLAINS USG POSITION ON AUDIT OF UNCC AWARDS

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002950 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2007 TAGS: KUNC PREL IZ JO UNSC ERIN SUBJECT: DCM EXPLAINS USG POSITION ON AUDIT OF UNCC AWARDS TO MFA SECGEN THABARAH REF: A. AMMAN 2793 ¶B. GENEVA 1919 ¶C. GENEVA 1706 ¶D. ZIADEH/BERRY E-MAIL 06/04/2002 ¶E. ZIADEH/BERRY E-MAIL 06/05/2002 Classified By: DCM Gregory L. Berry for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) DCM covered ref d talking points on the USG position on the audit of UN Compensation Commission (UNCC) awards by the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) June 5 with MFA Secretary General Hani Thabarah. DCM said the USG believes that UNCC Governing Council (GC) decisions are final, and that the GC has the sole authority to approve or reject awards. He noted that the U.S. had made this statement of principle during the June 4 GC informals, but had not specifically addressed the question of the OIOS audit of Jordan's 1999 award, since it had not been raised at the informals. ¶2. (C) Thabarah expressed Jordan's appreciation for the position taken by the U.S. Gnehm