COUNTRY CLEARANCE REQUEST FOR VISIT OF NEA S&T

UNCLAS STATE 088122 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL SENV OTRA JO IS KWBG SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE REQUEST FOR VISIT OF NEA S&T SENIOR ADVISOR CHARLES LAWSON AND USG TEAM TO JORDAN FOR REGIONAL WATER MEETING AND LAWSON MEETINGS IN ISRAEL, JULY 13-21, 2007 ¶1. This is an action cable. Please see para. 7. ¶2. Background: One of the major projects of the Middle East peace process Multilateral Working Group on Water Resources is the Regional Water Data Banks Project. Regional participants are Jordanian, Israeli, and Palestinian water experts and officials. The U.S., the EC, the Netherlands, and the UK contribute resources and provide expertise to the project. Regional participants continue to express support for this project (and other water projects) and urge the donors to keep engaged. The Department and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) expend significant effort to keep these projects going. As part of that effort, the USDA is organizing a meeting of the Regional Water Data Banks Project steering committee (known as the EXACT - Executive Action Team) at the Dead Sea Movenpick Hotel in Jordan, July 15-16, ¶2007. Participants have agreed that the meeting should be low profile, with no media exposure. ¶3. The USG delegation to the Jordan EXACT meeting is: Dr. Charles A. Lawson Senior Advisor for Science and Technology NEA/RA U.S. Department of State Dr. Sylvana Li Agricultural Research Advisor Foreign Agricultural Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Ms. Kara Stanley Development Resources Specialist Foreign Agricultural Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Dr. Ibrahim Shaqir International Affairs Specialist Agricultural Research Service U.S. Department of Agriculture ¶4. The USG delegation plans to travel on the following itinerary: July 12 - Li and Stanley arrive at 1905 hrs. on Air France flight from Paris. July 13 - Lawson arrives in Amman at 1000 hrs. on Royal Jordan flight 601 from Muscat. July 14 - Team travels to Dead Sea. Shaqir travels from Tel Aviv to Dead Sea. July 15-16 - EXACT meeting at the Dead Sea. Lawson and Li travel to Amman in PM of 16th. Shaqir travels to Tel Aviv. July 17 - Lawson departs Amman at 2200 hrs. on Royal Jordanian flight 340. Lawson arrives Tel Aviv at 2245 hrs. July 18 - Li departs Amman at 0259 hrs. on Lufthansa flight ¶693. July 18-20 - Lawson meetings with Israelis. July 21 - Lawson departs Tel Aviv at 0530 hrs. on Lufthansa flight 9121. July 22- Stanley departs Amman at 0259 hrs. on Lufthansa flight 693. ¶5. In addition to the EXACT meeting, Lawson would like to have a number of bilateral meetings during his visit. In Jordan, Lawson would like to meet on July 17 with: Minister of Water and Irrigation Alem, Minister of the Environment Irani, RSS President Princess Sumaya, Higher Council for Science and Technology President Al-Turk, and Palace Economic Advisor Maher Matalka. ¶6. In Israel, Lawson would like to meet with the following Israeli officials: Water Authority Director Shani; Negev-Galilee Advisor Kinnarti, Ministry of National Infrastructure DG Kugler, Minister of Environment Ezra, and MoE International Affairs Director Livne. ¶7. Action requests. Posts are requested to provide country clearance for U.S. team visit. Posts are requested to make hotel reservations for Lawson within per diem (in Amman for evenings of July 13 and 16; in Tel Aviv for evenings of July 17 through 20) and to schedule meetings per above itinerary. Lawson will contact posts directly to discuss details. Lawson possesses a valid Top Secret security clearance. -- NEA/SA/EX/FM authorizes posts to cover driver overtime expenses in support of Lawson's visit and request reimbursement from the bureau for actual expenses. ¶8. Posts' assistance is greatly appreciated. RICE