UPDATE ON DEMINING IN JORDAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001500

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR PM/WRA: DICK STICKLES

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2016
TAGS: PGOV MARR MASS KHPD JO
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON DEMINING IN JORDAN

REF: 05 AMMAN 05726

Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Prince Mired bin Ra,ad, Chairman of
Jordan,s National Committee on Demining and Rehabilitation
(NCDR),updated the Ambassador February 21 on demining
efforts since the launching of the Mine Action Plan in June
2005 (reftel). He also discussed Jordan,s strategy for
meeting the May 2009 deadline set by the Ottawa Convention
for the removal of all landmines. See paragraph 6 for action
request. END SUMMARY.

Current Operations
==================


2. (C) Jordan's Mine Action Plan, unveiled in June 2005,
sets the following goals: clear Jordan of all landmines;
increase mine risk education, and survivor and victim
assistance; encourage regional and international demining
advocacy; and create an NGO to oversee all demining efforts
in Jordan. According to Prince Mired, Jordan,s demining
effort is currently focused on the Baqura area in the
northern section of the Jordan River Valley. The European
Union (EU) is funding this mine removal project, which is
being implemented by the Jordan Armed Forces, Royal Engineer
Corps (REC). Prince Mired stated that the NCDR hopes to use
this project as a model for future demining. With EU
oversight, the REC -- in conjunction with the NCDR -- is
developing written standards for demining and will introduce
a total quality management approach. Jordan is further
working to improve mine risk education, which Prince Mired
acknowledged has been a weak point in the past. The NGO Mine
Action Group (MAG) and the United Kingdom are assisting in
this endeavor.

Future Plans
============


3. (C) Jordan,s next major demining project will be an
impact survey conducted by the American Survey Action Center,
a U.S.-based NGO. Funded by the Norwegian and Canadian
Governments, Prince Mired stated that the survey will assess
the impact of mines on local populations, particularly in
areas where there is currently little information on this
subject. The survey will in turn drive priorities for future
demining efforts.


4. (C) NCDR,s actions are intended to prepare for the
opening of Jordan's physical demining efforts to an NGO, the
Norwegian People,s Aid (NPA). Prince Mired acknowledged
that at the REC's current rate of demining -- 2000 dunams
(494 acres) per year -- Jordan would fall far short of
clearing the remaining 39,000 dunams (9,637 acres) of mined
land by 2009. The NPA plans to use retired REC soldiers in
its workforce, and will focus on the Wadi Araba region south
of the Dead Sea to Aqaba. This will be the first effort
Jordan has made to clear Israeli mines located on land
returned to Jordan by Israel after the 1994 peace treaty.
Note: According to Dr. Olaf Juergensen, the UN,s chief
technical advisor to the NCDR, NPA -- which is primarily
funded by the Norwegian government -- will also clear mines
located along the Syrian border. End Note.


5. (C) Prince Mired indicated that Jordan is seeking to
become the regional center for demining expertise. The GOJ
has already bid to host the 2007 Ottawa Convention State
Parties Conference, and believes it will succeed in this
regard. He emphasized that 2007 will be the tenth
anniversary of the signing of the Ottawa Treaty, which should
bring Jordan welcome international publicity if it is chosen
for the conference venue. Jordan is also hosting a regional
demining conference in Aqaba on April 25-26, 2006 in an
effort to build support for demining among other Arab
countries. In the long term, Prince Mired said Jordan seeks
to utilize its experience in demining its own land to develop
a regional mine action training center where countries from
throughout the Middle East and Africa could send personnel
for training. Successfully meeting the Ottawa deadline would
go a long way in building international support for this
center, Prince Mired added.

Need for Assistance
===================


6. (C) Post recommends that the Department consider the
possibility of providing funds to Jordan,s mine risk
education program. For a relatively small financial
commitment, the U.S. could significantly contribute to
alleviating a problem with real human and economic impact.
For example, comic books focused on making children aware of
the dangers of mines -- which have been used successfully in
other countries -- could be translated into Arabic and
distributed in Jordan, as well as in other Arab countries
with remaining landmines. Post will continue to monitor the
NCDR's mine action efforts, and potential areas for
international assistance to help build regional mine action
capacity, perhaps by establishing a regional mine action
training center based in Amman to aid in training deminers
from the region and Africa.
HALE