MFA OFFICIAL RECOMMENDS POSSIBLE POSTPONEMENT OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001453 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/ELA, NEA/PI E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2016 TAGS: PREL KMPI BA JO REGION REFORM SUBJECT: MFA OFFICIAL RECOMMENDS POSSIBLE POSTPONEMENT OF FORUM FOR THE FUTURE CONFERENCE IN AMMAN Classified By: CDA Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) In a meeting covering other subjects (septel),MFA Director for Bilateral Affairs Dhafer Al Umran told Pol/Econ Chief August 6 that he had met recently in Amman with the Jordanian Foreign Minister and the Jordanian MFA team responsible for organizing the Forum for the Future conference to be held in December in Amman. He stated that he had recommended to the Minister that Jordan consider postponing the Forum due to increased tensions in the region as a result of the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. Although he is a strong supporter of the Forum, Al Umran said he was worried that the regional environment could cause the meeting to go off-course, or even derail the entire process. He reported that the Minister said the GOJ would assess the situation at the next Forum preparatory meeting in September. ¶2. (C) Al Umran said regional NGOs, whose participation is critical to the success of the Forum, could use the conference as an opportunity to aggressively condemn Israeli actions in Gaza and Lebanon (if the situations have not yet been resolved). He thought NGO representatives might criticize the BMENA process in light of regional events. Al Umran said that even if the conference proceeds as planned, NGO representatives should be present at the conference only on the first day, with senior government officials, but not on the second day, when ministers will be present. The NGO reps might attack and embarrass ministers, in Al Umran's view. ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ ********************************************* ******** ZIADEH