MDA: JORDANIAN STANCE ON CONFERENCE FOR THIRD

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 004874 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA, PRM AND IO E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2015 TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL IS SZ JO ICRC SUBJECT: MDA: JORDANIAN STANCE ON CONFERENCE FOR THIRD ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL REF: STATE 112023 Classified By: CDA David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) (C) Acting PolCouns met with Walid Obeidat of the Foreign Minister's private office on June 16 to discuss Jordan's position on the Swiss government proposal to convene a diplomatic conference on the Third Additional Protocol to pave the way for MDA membership in the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement. Obeidat said he had discussed this issue the previous day with Ambassador Walid Rifai, head of the Foreign Ministry's International Organizations department. According to Obeidat, while Jordan had no strong objections to the Swiss proposal, there was considerable opposition by some Arab states (though he declined to name which ones) that was preventing consensus among Arab League nations in support of the proposed conference. Obeidat added that while Jordan would try to play a helpful role in ongoing Arab discussions on this issue, it was not prepared to break ranks with other Arab states. Charge will raise in his next meeting with Foreign Minister Qasrawi, and it would be helpful for senior USG officials who meet him to do so as well. HALE