Jordan: U.S. Proposal on Seismic Monitoring Station

UNCLAS AMMAN 009941

SIPDIS

Dept. please pass AFTAC/Patrick AFB/R.Strum or WBarker

Interior for USGS/Foose

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TPHY PREL JO
SUBJECT: Jordan: U.S. Proposal on Seismic Monitoring Station

Ref: State 229417


1. Summary: Econ Counselor and ESTH Officer presented
reftel draft agreement and talking points on a proposed
agreement for a bilateral seismic monitoring station in
Jordan to Natural Resources Authority Director General Dr.
Maher Hijazin on December 27. Dr. Hijazin was pleased to
receive the proposal, and promised to forward the agreement
for review and appraisal immediately. Other GOJ key
elements have yet to review the proposal. End summary.


2. Dr. Hijazin said that the Natural Resources Authority,
which is under the Energy Ministry and has responsibility
for seismic issues, has been trying to upgrade its
"outdated" seismology network. Its recent proposal for half
a million dollars for this purpose was cut from the budget,
he said. Reftel proposal thus comes at the "perfect time,"
Hijazin said, and is "welcome, definitely."


3. Hijazin said he would forward the draft agreement to
technical specialists within the Natural Resources Authority
and to legal advisors for evaluation and review. The
agreement would then have to be cleared by the Board of the
Natural Resources Authority, which is chaired by the
Minister of Energy. The next and final step would be
approval by the Cabinet. [Comment: In post's assessment,
the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF),and possibly the Foreign
Ministry, may need to engage before this measure moves to
the Cabinet if it is to succeed. End Comment.] Hijazin
said the NRA would meet internally next week to discuss the
proposal. He did not comment on how long it would take for
the Board to reach a decision, but he implied that it would
not be long. He believed that Cabinet approval would be
routine, and that the request for approval would be
submitted to the Cabinet as soon as one week after the NRA
Board's approval. [Comment: Further interagency
coordination will likely be needed with the MFA and the JAF
which could extend the timeframe. End Comment.]


4. The only two issues raised by Dr. Hijazin were Jordan's
need for access to the data, and their inability to
contribute financially. Personnel support and
infrastructure for the project were "no problem," he said,
but Jordan "cannot contribute" to hardware purchases because
"money is tight." Econ Counselor reassured him that under
the draft agreement, data is shared "without restriction,"
and that hardware and software costs will be borne by the
US.


5. Embassy will separately deliver the draft agreement by
diplomatic note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well.

HALE