CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): JORDANIAN

UNCLAS AMMAN 001049

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

THE HAGUE FOR CWC DEL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL ABUD JO AROC CWC CBW OPCW
SUBJECT: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): JORDANIAN
RESPONSE TO QUESTIONNAIRES ON NATIONAL MEASURES FOR CWC
IMPLEMENTATION

REF: STATE 35668


1. (SBU) On February 17, Poloff delivered reftel points and
copies of OPCW Technical Secretariat (TS) questionnaires to
Ayman Aamiri, Deputy Director of the MFA's IO Department. On
February 18, Poloff followed up on this issue with Jusuf
Bataineh, the MFA's action officer on CWC issues. Bataineh
apologized for Jordan's tardiness in responding to the OPCW
questionnaires thus far and identified bureaucratic problems
within the GOJ as the cause of the delay.


2. (SBU) According to Bataineh, when Jordan originally signed
the CWC, it formed a "National Authority for the
Implementation of the CWC" headed by a special office within
the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) GHQ. Under that original
configuration the system worked well, Bataineh said, and the
GOJ was able to respond to CWC-related inquiries in a timely
manner. Later, a decision was made to shift the authority's
leadership from the JAF to the Ministry of Interior, after
which (for reasons Bataineh did not specify) inter-agency
cooperation broke down. At present, the MFA is seeking
approval from the PM's office to have Jordan's Civil Defense
Authority take over the lead for CWC matters and hopes that
this will result in a better run, more responsive, CWC
national authority. Bataineh stressed to poloff that "we are
in regular contact with the PM's office on this. It's at the
top of our agenda." He said that Jordan understands the
importance of the OPCW questionnaires and all its obligations
under the CWC and hopes to have responses ready shortly.


3. (SBU) Bataineh also noted that the OPCW has invited Jordan
to participate in a CWC workshop at the Hague in May. As
presently envisioned, he and an official from Civil Defense
will represent the GOJ.
GNEHM