US-EU DIALOGUE ON MIDDLE EAST REFORM: JORDAN

UNCLAS AMMAN 009909 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/PI, EUR/ERA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMPI XF ECON EAID PGOV PREL JO SUBJECT: US-EU DIALOGUE ON MIDDLE EAST REFORM: JORDAN REF: STATE 235816 ¶1. As instructed reftel, Charge, accompanied by A/PolCouns and USAID officers, met December 7 to discuss reform programs per reftel with Angeline Eichhorst, Head of Operations for the European Commission (EC) delegation to Jordan. Also attending were representatives from the following ten of the 13 EU countries that maintain diplomatic missions in Amman: Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Sweden. During the meeting, Eichhorst noted that EC assistance funds for Jordan were the second highest per capita in the Mediterranean region (after aid to the Palestinians) and that the EC delegation in Amman had grown from a staff of roughly 20 persons two years ago to 61 currently. ¶2. After reviewing different reform-related programs sponsored by the U.S. and EC delegation, as well as bilateral programs funded by individual EU countries, meeting participants recommended closer coordination on judicial reform as several missions' projects focused on this subject. A technical meeting to discuss programs, both current and prospective, for the Jordanian judicial system is planned for next month. Post will continue to consult with the EC delegation and European missions on reform on an ongoing basis. HALE