Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04AMMAN3741
2004-05-13 13:17:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

JORDAN-SOLICITING ASSISTANCE FOR IRAQ

Tags:  EAID KSCA SENV TSPL IZ JO 
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UNCLAS AMMAN 003741 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/PCI TURNER AND YU; OES/ENV RICHARD; NEA/ARN
SCHEDLBAUER; NEA/RA LAWSON
BAGHDAD FOR CPA/KRAWCZEL

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID KSCA SENV TSPL IZ JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN-SOLICITING ASSISTANCE FOR IRAQ
ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY

REF: STATE 099370

UNCLAS AMMAN 003741

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/PCI TURNER AND YU; OES/ENV RICHARD; NEA/ARN
SCHEDLBAUER; NEA/RA LAWSON
BAGHDAD FOR CPA/KRAWCZEL

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID KSCA SENV TSPL IZ JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN-SOLICITING ASSISTANCE FOR IRAQ
ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY

REF: STATE 099370


1. (U) This is an action cable; see para 6.


2. (SBU) In response to reftel demarche, Jordanian Minister
of Environment, Alia Bouran, welcomed the opportunity for 1-
2 of her employees to attend the Iraq environment experts
workshop. (COMMENT: Post does not believe, however, that
Jordan's nascent Ministry of Environment can serve as a
model for an Iraqi environmental regulatory or enforcement
body. Jordanian technical "experts" attending such a
workshop would probably be learning as much as their Iraqi
counterparts from the international environmental and
scientific community. END COMMENT)


3. (SBU) On the question of whether Jordan would be willing
to provide the venue for the workshop, and possibly the
follow-on donors' meeting, something that Bouran did not
remember discussing with OES PDAS Rock on the margins of the
UNEP meeting in Korea last month, Bouran nevertheless said
she would be interested in helping Iraq build its
environmental capacity. Bouran confirmed May 12 that she
spoke to the Prime Minister about this proposition and
received his approval, in principle, to "host" the workshop.


4. (SBU) The anticipated early-June timing of the experts
workshop, however, is not/not convenient for Bouran and the
Jordanian government. Bouran will be in Washington
participating in the preparatory Joint Environmental Forum
(JEF) meeting on June 7, after which she will attend the FTA
Joint Commission (JC) meeting the following day. Bouran
requested that the Iraq environment experts workshop instead
be postponed until later in the month.


5. (SBU) On a separate but related matter, there is a
possibility of a cabinet reshuffle taking place following
the extraordinary World Economic Forum at the Dead Sea (May
15-17). In a May 12 telephone conversation with the
minister, NEA regional environment officer learned that,
although Bouran may give up the environment portfolio, she
would remain the Jordanian government's point person on
environmental issues related to the FTA. She emphasized no
decision on cabinet changes had been made. Bouran assured
us that she would be attending the preparatory JEF and JC in
Washington in early June, whatever the outcome of any
reshuffle.


6. (SBU) Action Request: If Washington remains intent on
hosting the Iraq environment experts meeting in Amman, it
needs to carefully consider the date to accommodate Bouran
and the Jordanian government. Moreover, a cabinet reshuffle
might produce a new minister of environment only just
settling in to his/her office by early June.

GNEHM