Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08AMMAN1610
2008-05-27 15:06:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Amman
Cable title:
U.S. CANDIDATE FOR FAO/WHO CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION -
how-toVZCZCXRO3948 RR RUEHRN DE RUEHAM #1610 1481506 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 271506Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2733 INFO RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0665 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3670 RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 0037
UNCLAS AMMAN 001610
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/T AND NEA/ELA
CAIRO FOR AGMINCOUNS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD TBIO PINR JO
SUBJECT: U.S. CANDIDATE FOR FAO/WHO CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION -
DEMARCHE TO JORDAN DELIVERED
REF: STATE 50336
UNCLAS AMMAN 001610
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/T AND NEA/ELA
CAIRO FOR AGMINCOUNS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD TBIO PINR JO
SUBJECT: U.S. CANDIDATE FOR FAO/WHO CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION -
DEMARCHE TO JORDAN DELIVERED
REF: STATE 50336
1. (SBU) EconCouns and FAS FSN delivered reftel demarche to Dr.
Yaseen Khayyat, Director General of the Jordan Institution for
Standards and Metrology (JISM) who heads Jordan's National Codex
Committee (and is the Chairperson of the FAO/WHO Coordinating
Committee for the Near East),on May 27. Khayyat welcomed the
candidacy of Dr. Karen Hulebak for Codex Chairperson, commenting
that she is "highly, highly capable" and that it was "about time"
she assumed the leadership position. He conveyed Jordan's support -
he makes the voting decisions - and was confident that European
members of the Codex Commission would also support her, but said the
Middle East members would need "a lot of lobbying." Khayyat added
that Jordan was a strong advocate of Hulebak for Codex
Vice-Chairperson, a position in which she has excelled, and that
Jordan would use its regional leadership role on food safety to
promote her candidacy with commission members from the Middle East
and Africa. Khayyat commented that the Malaysian candidate is
qualified, but lacked the experience and respect enjoyed by Hulebak.
He expected Commission members from Asia to support the Malaysian
candidate, and said he had received a dipnote from the Malaysian
Embassy seeking GOJ support.
2. (SBU) Khayyat added that while not yet official, he intended to
run for Codex Vice-Chairperson. He requested U.S. support for his
candidacy, and asked the U.S. to encourage other members to vote for
him. EconCouns stressed that the U.S. does not reveal how it votes
in international fora and does not engage in vote-trading, but said
she would inform Washington of his candidacy.
3. (SBU) Post strongly encourages U.S. support for Khayyat's
candidacy when announced. Khayyat has been an active Codex
Commission member, and was lauded by FAO leadership for his
successful management of the third session of the FAO/WHO (Codex)
Regional Coordinating Committee for the Near East held in Amman in
March 2005. Jordan is also a strategic regional ally with which the
U.S. shares numerous interests.
4. (U) Biographic Information: Dr. Yaseen M. Khayyat was appointed
Director General of JISM in December 2004. He was previously
Director of the Industrial Chemistry Centre of the Royal Scientific
Society. Dr. Khayyat obtained his Ph.D. in Environmental
Engineering from Cambridge University in the UK; he has a BS from
High Point University and an AS from the Florida Institute of
Technology. Dr. Khayyat has published multiple technical studies,
reports, and papers on a range of environmental issues.
Visit Amman's Classified Website at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/
HALE
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/T AND NEA/ELA
CAIRO FOR AGMINCOUNS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD TBIO PINR JO
SUBJECT: U.S. CANDIDATE FOR FAO/WHO CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION -
DEMARCHE TO JORDAN DELIVERED
REF: STATE 50336
1. (SBU) EconCouns and FAS FSN delivered reftel demarche to Dr.
Yaseen Khayyat, Director General of the Jordan Institution for
Standards and Metrology (JISM) who heads Jordan's National Codex
Committee (and is the Chairperson of the FAO/WHO Coordinating
Committee for the Near East),on May 27. Khayyat welcomed the
candidacy of Dr. Karen Hulebak for Codex Chairperson, commenting
that she is "highly, highly capable" and that it was "about time"
she assumed the leadership position. He conveyed Jordan's support -
he makes the voting decisions - and was confident that European
members of the Codex Commission would also support her, but said the
Middle East members would need "a lot of lobbying." Khayyat added
that Jordan was a strong advocate of Hulebak for Codex
Vice-Chairperson, a position in which she has excelled, and that
Jordan would use its regional leadership role on food safety to
promote her candidacy with commission members from the Middle East
and Africa. Khayyat commented that the Malaysian candidate is
qualified, but lacked the experience and respect enjoyed by Hulebak.
He expected Commission members from Asia to support the Malaysian
candidate, and said he had received a dipnote from the Malaysian
Embassy seeking GOJ support.
2. (SBU) Khayyat added that while not yet official, he intended to
run for Codex Vice-Chairperson. He requested U.S. support for his
candidacy, and asked the U.S. to encourage other members to vote for
him. EconCouns stressed that the U.S. does not reveal how it votes
in international fora and does not engage in vote-trading, but said
she would inform Washington of his candidacy.
3. (SBU) Post strongly encourages U.S. support for Khayyat's
candidacy when announced. Khayyat has been an active Codex
Commission member, and was lauded by FAO leadership for his
successful management of the third session of the FAO/WHO (Codex)
Regional Coordinating Committee for the Near East held in Amman in
March 2005. Jordan is also a strategic regional ally with which the
U.S. shares numerous interests.
4. (U) Biographic Information: Dr. Yaseen M. Khayyat was appointed
Director General of JISM in December 2004. He was previously
Director of the Industrial Chemistry Centre of the Royal Scientific
Society. Dr. Khayyat obtained his Ph.D. in Environmental
Engineering from Cambridge University in the UK; he has a BS from
High Point University and an AS from the Florida Institute of
Technology. Dr. Khayyat has published multiple technical studies,
reports, and papers on a range of environmental issues.
Visit Amman's Classified Website at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/
HALE