WCO FRAMEWORK OF STANDARDS TO SECURE AND

UNCLAS AMMAN 004759

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE PASS TO USTR - MATT RHODE
DHS/CBP FOR ALLISON LEVY
STATE FOR NEA/PI, NEA/ELA, EB/TPP/MTA - ANDREW DILWORTH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD PREL JO CTM
SUBJECT: WCO FRAMEWORK OF STANDARDS TO SECURE AND
FACILITATE GLOBAL TRADE - JORDAN

REF: A. STATE 94927


B. LEVY-DILWORTH EMAIL (06/06/05)

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. FOR USG USE ONLY. NOT FOR
DISSEMINATION ON THE INTERNET.


1. (SBU) ECON/C June 14 delivered Ref A demarche to
Jordan's new Customs Director General Alaa A. Batayneh,
noting Jordan's strong support for the USG position in prior
World Customs Organization (WCO) meetings, including at the
Policy Commission meeting chaired by Jordan in Amman last
December. Batayneh indicated Jordan's continued strong
support for the Framework. He noted that he would head the
Jordanian delegation at the WCO Council May 23-25, departing
for Brussels on June 19. Regarding a possible letter of
intent on implementing the WCO Framework (Ref B),Batayneh
viewed the matter very favorably and promised to review the
suggested draft language, noting however that Jordan would
need to develop its capacity to fulfill the Framework's
goals, a point he might raise in such a letter.


2. (SBU) BIO NOTE: The cabinet confirmed Batayneh as
Customs Director General on May 31. He had been Secretary
General at the Ministry of Transport since 2000. Batayneh
studied at George Washington University (GWU),where he
received a bachelor of science degree in electrical
engineering; he received an MSc. from GWU in 1993. Batayneh
is well and favorably known to the Embassy. As Transport
SecGen, he gave strong support to Jordan's transit trade with
Iraq. He also made significant contributions to Jordan's
transportation infrastructure development. He played a major
role in bringing to an end a truck association's virtual
monopoly via a trucking queue system at Aqaba port; as of
this September, shippers at Aqaba may choose trucking
companies based on their record, not based on which truck is
next in line. Batayneh has indicated to us a keen desire to
continue to develop the GOJ Customs Department as an
"adaptive, active, and dynamic" organization; it is already
a leader among customs departments in the Middle East and
North Africa region. He is married to Princess Rahma,
daughter of Prince Hassan (the late King Hussein's youngest
brother). END BIO NOTE.
HALE