JORDANIAN REPLACEMENT OFFICERS EN ROUTE TO KOSOVO,

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006360 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2014 TAGS: PREL ASEC CASC PTER KCRM YI KPKO JO UNMIK SUBJECT: JORDANIAN REPLACEMENT OFFICERS EN ROUTE TO KOSOVO, POLICE CHIEF TO VISIT UNIT IN NEAR TERM REF: A. AMMAN 6211 ¶B. USUN 1685 Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b)(d) ¶1. (C) Public Security Directorate (PSD) Chief Tahseen Shurdom told Charge on July 26 that four Jordanian officers are en route to Kosovo to replace the four that are currently subject of an internal UNMIK investigation for threatening U.S. soldiers in June. Shurdom said that he understood the Jordanian suspects are still undergoing questioning, and it is unclear when they will be released and allowed to return to Jordan. He revealed that he is planning a trip to Kosovo in the near future to review the Jordanian units himself and ensure that the Jordanian police unit and its leadership are performing according to the highest professional and ethical standards. ¶2. (C) Comment: Jordan continues to resist calls for full withdrawal of Jordanian police personnel serving in UNMIK, absent the results of the UN investigation. Meanwhile, the decision to send replacement officers is a step in the right direction. Given his larger-than-life reputation in Jordan (he is ex-commander of Jordan's Special Operations Forces), his intention to personally visit Kosovo is a clear sign that Jordan is taking the situation seriously. HALE