AMMAN'S NOMINATION FOR 2005 DEPARTMENT FSN

UNCLAS AMMAN 002669

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/EX, AND HR/OE/PE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AFSN APER AMGT KSEP JO
SUBJECT: AMMAN'S NOMINATION FOR 2005 DEPARTMENT FSN
OF THE YEAR AWARD



1. THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY IN AMMAN, JORDAN IS PROUD TO
NOMINATE PROTOCOL ASSISTANT MAHA KALAJI FOR THE 2006 FOREIGN
SERVICE NATIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LIAISON
WITH HOST COUNTRY OFFICIALS WHICH FACILITATED THE WORK OF
THE AMERICAN OFFICERS AND THE GOALS OF THE MISSION. MS.
KALAJI IS A FSN-8 AND HAS BEEN EMPLOYED BY THE EMBASSY UNDER
A PERSONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS.

Ms. Kalaji's position is particularly vital to our mission
here in Jordan, and she has repeatedly demonstrated what an
invaluable asset she is to the entire Embassy.

Liaison with the Royal Palace/GOJ: Due to its importance as
a regional hub and its role as a support center for Iraq,
Embassy Amman is literally awash with VIP visitors. From
members of Congress, to four-star generals, to senior State
Department officials, there is a never-ending stream of
visitors to Amman, all of whom wish to meet with the King
and/or Jordanian cabinet ministers. These meeting requests
are at the top of the Embassy's priority list as they are
essential to increasing U.S. understanding of the region,
maintaining strong US-Jordan relations, and facilitating the
goals of the mission. When we receive such meeting
requests, Maha is the one that everyone, including the Front
Office, calls to make the meetings happen. She enjoys
direct access to senior government figures and is literally
the "lifeline" between the Embassy and the palace in trying
to arrange meetings with King Abdullah. This means far more
than a phone call. Given the number of visitors, the
incredibly tight schedules of all involved, and the
inevitable last-minute changes, Maha is often in hourly
contact with the royal court, including on weekends and when
she is out of the country! On more than one occasion, her
diligence and outstanding interpersonal skills have managed
to salvage meetings that would have otherwise been canceled
due to late airplane arrivals, traffic problems, and people
just plain running late. The Embassy simply could not cope
with its visitor workload without her.

Outreach and representation: The Front Office here in Amman
maintains a very active schedule, from large receptions to
small dinners, to consolidate relations with important
contacts and to increase understanding of American foreign
policy interests. Thanks to her incredible knowledge of
Jordanian culture and personalities, Maha knows exactly who
to invite no matter what the occasion or subject. If there
is an event centered on the arts, for example, Maha can
almost instantly come up with a list of prominent singers,
painters, writers and dancers, along with their contact
information. On the political front, it is quite astounding
at how many noteworthy Jordanians she can recommend for
representational activities. It seems that she knows every
current and former minister in the country! She also knows
who gets along - or doesn't get along - with whom, so as to
ensure that the mix of guests will get along smoothly.
Thanks to Maha, our outreach activities reach the
appropriate audience and our limited representational funds
are used effectively.

Other duties: Arranging meetings and representational events
at Embassy Amman would keep just about any person busy full-
time. But Maha does much more. She receives, translates,
and sends diplomatic notes. She uses her incredible network
of contacts to provide invaluable information on political
and other themes. And just as important, her hospitality,
willingness to help, and warm personality help keeps morale
in the Political Section - and elsewhere in the Embassy -
high. Despite the incredible stress she faces, Maha always
has a smile and a kind word for everyone she sees. This
combination of devotion to her work, outstanding abilities,
and strong interpersonal skills make her uniquely qualified
to represent Embassy Amman as its nominee for the 2006 FSN
of the Year Award.


2. THE EMPLOYEE'S POSITION DESCRIPTION AND PERFORMANCE
STANDARDS FOR THE POSITION WERE THOROUGHLY REVIEWED BY THE
JOINT COUNTRY AWARDS COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE CERTIFIED
THAT THE EMPLOYEE'S PERFORMANCE OF ALL IMPORTANT JOB
ELEMENTS SUBSTANTIALLY EXCEEDED NORMAL REQUIREMENTS.

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