POSSIBLE CONTINGENCY PLANNING TO SUPPORT A UN

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 009777 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2014 TAGS: PREL PHUM KPKO SU JO UN SUBJECT: POSSIBLE CONTINGENCY PLANNING TO SUPPORT A UN MISSION IN DARFUR Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) A mid-level Jordanian military officer informed USDAO Amman (septel) that the Jordanian military is conducting contingency planning to deploy approximately 70 soldiers to serve as UN military observers in Darfur, Sudan in January 2005 in the event the UNSC agrees to establish a peace support operation in Darfur. The officer further stated that two companies of de-mining engineers were preparing for a possible deployment, as was a Jordanian field hospital. We note that Jordanian military field hospitals have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. ¶2. (C) On December 8, Auda Abu Tayeh of the Foreign Minister's Private Office told POLOFF that while it was possible that the Jordanian Armed Forces were involved in contingency planning related to Darfur, nothing had been shared with the MFA on this and he did not believe the GOJ was considering offering forces for a Darfur UN operation. ¶3. (C) Comment: It is possible that the GOJ is considering such a step and that the MFA is out of the loop or not authorized to brief us. Post will continue to take soundings, and we hope for more information once GOJ decision-makers start returning from the King's December 5-14 visits to the U.S., Japan and Singapore. HENZEL