JORDAN HOPES TO ATTEND MADRID CONFERENCE ON GLOBAL

UNCLAS AMMAN 001657 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR T/ISN AND NEA/ELA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KGIC PTER KNNP JO SUBJECT: JORDAN HOPES TO ATTEND MADRID CONFERENCE ON GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM; CONSIDERING JOINING REF: A. AMMAN 1613 ¶B. STATE 52330 ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 3. ¶2. (SBU) Foreign Minister Salah al-Bashir told Ambassador on June 1, and Director of Bashir's Private Office Jamal Shamayleh later informed A/DCM and PolCouns, that the MFA's legal department is reviewing expeditiously the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism principles (ref A). Shamayleh indicated that the GOJ is inclined to join, and hopes to attend the June 16-18 conference in Madrid. Per Shamayleh, however, the MFA "feels a bit behind" and is not sure it will be ready to formally endorse the initiative before the conference. ¶3. (SBU) Action request: Although Post pressed Jordan to become a partner state, it is unclear whether the GOJ is able to complete the internal review and join the Global Initiative in advance of the June conference. Post therefore seeks guidance on whether Jordan can attend the Global Initiative conference in Madrid even if it has not yet formally endorsed the principles. Is an expression of intent to join sufficient for Jordan to come to Madrid? Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman Hale