REINFORCING THE NPT: DEMARCHE TO JORDAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 000988 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NP/MNA - BETH MURPHY E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2013 TAGS: KNNP PARM JO SUBJECT: REINFORCING THE NPT: DEMARCHE TO JORDAN REF: SECSTATE 42535 Classified By: PolCouns Doug Silliman for reasons 1.5 (B)(D) ¶1. (C) PolCouns February 16 discussed ref points on North Korea and the NPT with Ali al-Ayed, Personal Assistant to Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher. Al-Ayed responded that, while Jordan has not been directly involved in the North Korea dispute, it hopes that the current confrontation can be resolved peacefully. He noted that, as important as North Korea is, Jordan feels more threatened by nuclear weapons programs in its neighborhood and hopes the USG will hold Israel to the same standard it is applying to North Korea. GNEHM