JORDAN OFFERS PRIVATE SUPPORT FOR CONSULTATIONS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006723 SIPDIS DEPT FOR PRM, NEA AND EUR E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2015 TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL IS SZ JO ICRC SUBJECT: JORDAN OFFERS PRIVATE SUPPORT FOR CONSULTATIONS ON MDA IN GENEVA REF: STATE 149915 Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) Per reftel, acting Pol Chief and refcoord met with Walid Obeidat, the Director of the Jordanian Foreign Minister's Private Office, on August 21 to ask that Jordan back the proposal for a diplomatic conference to adopt the new international Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement emblem when Switzerland convenes consultations on the issue in Geneva September 12-13. Obeidat confirmed that Jordan had decided against providing a formal bilateral response to the Swiss following the June Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting in Yemen, but assured us that Jordan not only remains in support of the conference/MDA membership, but had privately conveyed its position to the Swiss within the past week. He also promised to convey to the FM reftel request for coordination with the U.S. mission. ¶2. (C) However, Obeidat was very doubtful that Jordan would share its position with any regional states. He noted that OIC/Arab League missions in Geneva appeared to be taking "a more hard-line position than their own capitals," and stressed that Jordan appeared to be "only Arab state in support of MDA membership." Continuing, he noted that Jordan continues to be subject to intense pressure, not just from regional states, but from the Palestinian Authority, to maintain OIC/Arab League consensus opposing convening the emblem conference. Obeidat added that the Jordanian Foreign Ministry believes the OIC/Arab League position is deely entrenched, despite the positive reaction to date to Israeli disengagement. HENZEL