JORDAN'S NATIONAL POLICE DIRECTOR ON PRIORITIES

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 005540

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARN S.WILLIAMS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2013
TAGS: PGOV KCRM PBTS PTER JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN'S NATIONAL POLICE DIRECTOR ON PRIORITIES
AND REGIONAL ISSUES

REF: AMMAN 5501

Classified By: CDA DAVID M HALE FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: During an August 27 meeting with Emboffs and
visiting Congressional staff, Public Security Directorate
(PSD) Director General Tahseen Shurdom cited training and
equipment as his fiscal priorities. He reiterated his
government,s willingness to train Iraqi police officers and
showed concern over smuggling into Jordan from other regional
states. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) In a meeting with House Appropriations Committee staff
members, Director General Shurdom expressed his desire to
increase investments in personnel for the PSD, Jordan,s
national police force. He mentioned his plan to construct a
new training academy in the south of Jordan, an economically
disadvantaged region, and his hopes for better logistical
support for the PSD. He said Jordan's training center could
serve the region. While pleased with the number of training
courses offered by the USG to PSD officers, Shurdom harked
back to his experiences as a Jordanian Armed Forces officer
with the frequent IMET training offered through the Defense
Department. He suggested that such an arrangement with
consistently available slots scheduled a year or more out
would assist the PSD in its planning.


3. (C) Turning to regional issues, Shurdom reiterated the
GOJ,s hopes for re-establishing order in Iraq, and referred
specifically to Jordan,s willingness to train Iraqi police
officers, where Jordan has a comparative advantage. He also
confirmed his readiness to discuss the practicalities of
implementation with officials of the Coalition Provisional
Authority at the earliest opportunity. Shurdom explained that
the PSD works closely with Jordan,s General Intelligence
Directorate on all border control issues, adding that Syrian
cooperation on cross-border smuggling is non-existent (see
reftel). According to Shurdom, Jordan is a transit country in
the global drug trade, with contraband flowing primarily from
the north through Jordan to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.


4. (C) On the peace process, Shurdom reiterated the GOJ,s
ongoing support and stressed that the PSD continues to work
closely with its Israeli and Palestinian counterparts. When
asked about terrorism in Israel and the Occupied Territories,
he stated that support for Palestinian militants continues to
flow from Syria, Iran and other regional actors.


5. (U) CPA Baghdad minimize considered.
HALE