CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION IMPLEMENTATION AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001578 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2015 TAGS: PARM ABUD JO AROC CWC OPCW SUBJECT: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION IMPLEMENTATION AND HOST COUNTRY AGREEMENTS: JORDAN REF: A. STATE 28853 ¶B. AMMAN 01245 Classified By: CDA David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered ref a talking points February 24 to Bashir Khassawneh, Director of the Foreign Ministry's Legal Department. Khassawneh said the GOJ was well aware of its obligations under Article VII of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and was currently determining if existing legislation (or amendments to existing laws) would cover all implementation requirements. If not, the GOJ would move to draft and submit to Parliament new legislation to ensure that all offenders of the CWC are subject to criminal prosecution. Khassawneh did not anticipate a need for U.S. technical assistance at this time. ¶2. (C) Poloff also inquired about the status of the proposed U.S.-Jordan agreement on challenge inspections under the CWC (ref b). Khassawneh replied that the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) and Ministry of Interior had still not provided any feedback from their review of the agreement, but said that he would "breathe down their neck" to get a response as soon as possible. HALE