FONMIN MUASHER SAYS JORDAN WILL SIGN ARTICLE 98

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006463

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2012
TAGS: PREL JO
SUBJECT: FONMIN MUASHER SAYS JORDAN WILL SIGN ARTICLE 98
AGREEMENT IN A "CREDIBLE MANNER"

REF: AMMAN 6270

Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm. Reasons 1.5 (b,d).


1. (C) During a November 4 meeting with the Ambassador that
covered a number of topics (other subjects reported septels),
FonMin Muasher pledged that Jordan "will respond positively,
but in a credible manner" to the U.S. request to sign an
Article 98 agreement. Muasher went on to note that, as
President of the ICC Member States Group, Jordan has "special
responsibilities. We're not Micronesia." He said that he
has asked Jordan's PermRep in New York, Prince Zeid, to
"negotiate this with Ambassador Negroponte and go through the
text point by point. I understand that others -- Kuwait and
Bahrain -- have agreed, but they are not ICC signatories. We
will sign, but we must do it correctly. Just give us a week
or two."


2. (C) For USUN: If the above description of the state of
play in New York is not accurate, please let us know so that
we can go back to the MFA with any concerns.

GNEHM