JORDAN TO SUPPORT AMB. SWING WITH OIC LEADERSHIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 000682 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W, PRM, AND IO/UNP ALSO FOR NEA/ELA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2018 TAGS: PREF PREL SMIG JO SUBJECT: JORDAN TO SUPPORT AMB. SWING WITH OIC LEADERSHIP REF: STATE 19491 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Daniel Rubinstein for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Poloff met on February 27 with the Foreign Ministry's International Organizations Deputy Director Hussam al-Husseini to deliver reftel demarche urging Jordanian support for the candidacy of Ambassador William Swing for Director General of the International Organization for Migration. Husseini mentioned the OIC/Bangladeshi endorsement for current DG McKinley; poloff noted the recent second thoughts expressed by OIC officials, reiterated the USG's opposition to McKinley's candidacy, and emphasized our desire for Jordanian, and OIC, support for Swing. Husseini took note of the U.S. position and the reasons behind it. ¶2. (C) Polcouns followed up March 3 with Jamal al-Shamayleh, director of the Foreign Minister's private office. Shamayleh assured polcouns of Jordan's support for Ambassador Swing, and said he would send instructions to the Jordanian Consul in Jeddah - who is Jordan's representative to the OIC - to convey Jordan's support for Ambassador Swing to the OIC leadership. Shamayleh noted that he would be in Dakar for preparatory meetings beginning March 8 and until the end of the summit (March 14) and would be happy to meet with Ambassador Swing. Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ RUBINSTEIN