MEPI ROLLOUT PLAN

UNCLAS AMMAN 004986 SIPDIS NEA/RA-SFRANCESKI, NEA/PPD-CBOURGEOIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP EFIN ECON PREL XF KPAO JO SUBJECT: MEPI ROLLOUT PLAN REFTEL: SECSTATE 162118 ¶1. POST PLANS TO HIGHLIGHT SECRETARY POWELL'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE MEPI INITIATIVE WITH A SERIES OF RELATED ACTIVITIES TARGETED FOR JORDAN'S BUSINESS, INTELLECTUAL AND NGO ACTIVISTS AS WELL AS LOCAL MEDIA. ¶2. IF POSSIBLE, WE WOULD BE READY TO CONDUCT A "PRE- BRIEF" FOR A SELECTED GROUP OF SENIOR EDITORS IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE SPEECH, TO FAMILIARIZE THEM WITH THE KEY CONCEPTS OF THE MEPI INITIATIVE. THIS WOULD HELP TO ENSURE THAT THE CRITICAL INITIAL REPORTING IS INFORMED AND BALANCED. ¶3. PA WILL MAKE SPEECH TEXTS AND RELATED MATERIALS AVAILABLE VIA THE EMBASSY WEBSITE AND VIA DIRECT DISTRIBUTION TO CONTACTS. ¶4. PA WILL REQUEST A DVC WITH A SENIOR US OFFICIAL TO DISCUSS THE PRACTICAL POSSIBILITIES OF MEPI WITH JORDANIAN NGOS, THINK TANKS, ACADEMICS, MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND SELECTED JOURNALISTS. ¶5. SELECTED EMBASSY OFFICIALS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR "BACKGROUND BRIEFINGS" ON THE MEPI INITIATIVE. ¶6. PA WILL COORDINATE WITH AID AND OTHER APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATIONS TO PREPARE FACT SHEETS ON CURRENT US ASSISTANCE TO JORDAN AND HOW IT SUPPORTS MEPI'S OBJECTIVES, AND TO HIGHLIGHT EXISTING "SUCCESS STORIES" RESULTING FROM ONGOING PARTNERSHIPS ON BUSINESS, MICRO- FINANCE, E-GOVERNMENT AND INTERNET INITIATIVES PLUS EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGES SUCH AS FULBRIGHT, AND RELATED PROJECTS. ¶7. WE WILL SUGGEST ONE OR MORE PUBLIC EVENTS, INCLUDING LOCAL PRESS, DURING DAS CHENEY'S UPCOMING VISIT TO AMMAN, IN WHICH MEPI CAN BE PUBLICIZED. BERRY