NEW JORDANIAN CABINET FORMED

UNCLAS AMMAN 009145 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL JO SUBJECT: NEW JORDANIAN CABINET FORMED ¶1. King Abdullah issued a royal decree November 27 approving the formation of a new government under Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit, who was named by the King to replace outgoing PM Adnan Badran on November 24. The new government, counting Bakhit, is made up of 24 ministers. Nine of these are returning from Badran's final cabinet. Biographical background on the new ministers and analysis will follow septels. ¶2. Members of the new cabinet are: Prime Minister and Minister of Defense: Marouf al-Bakhit Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance: Ziad Fareiz Foreign Minister: Abdul Ilah Khatib Minister of Municipal Affairs: Nader Thuherat Minister of Interior: Eid al-Fayez Minister of Public Works and Housing: Husni abu Gheida Minister of Education and Higher Education: Khalid Touqan (carry-over from Badran cabinet) Minister of Justice: Abed Shakhanbeh (carry-over from Badran cabinet) Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources: Azmi Khreisat (carry-over from Badran cabinet) Minister of Health: Saeed Darwazeh (carry-over from Badran cabinet) Minister of Transportation: Saud Nuseirat (carry-over from Badran cabinet) Minister of Industry and Trade: Sharif al-Zoubi (carry-over from Badran cabinet) Minister of Planning and International Cooperation: Suheir al-Ali (carry-over from Badran cabinet) Minister of Environment: Khalid al-Irani (carry-over from Badran cabinet) Minister of Labor: Bassem al-Salim (carry-over from Badran cabinet) Minister of Public Sector Development: Salem Khaza'leh Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs: Abdul Fatah Salah Minister of Water and Irrigation: Mohammad Thafer al-Alem Minister of Agriculture: Akef al-Zoubi Minister of Culture: Adel Toweisi Minister of Political Development and Parliamentary Affairs: Sabri Irbeihat Minister of Social Development: Suleiman Tarawneh Minister of Tourism and Antiquities: Muneer Nassar Minister of Communications and Information Technology: Omar Kurdi RUBINSTEIN