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