JORDAN WELCOMES U.S. MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE

UNCLAS AMMAN 001428 SIPDIS FOR NEA/ELA (GREGONIS) AND EEB/ESC (MONOSSON),OES/EGC (THOMPSON) AND IO/EDA (WEBBER) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG SENG KGHG AORC PREL JO SUBJECT: JORDAN WELCOMES U.S. MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY REFS: A) STATE 59969 B) AMMAN 362 ¶1. (U) EconCouns delivered ref A demarche on possible U.S. membership in the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Director for Renewable Energy Engineer Eng. Ziad Jibril on June 24 and to Minister of Environment Khaled Irani on June 25. ESTHOff also demarched Walid Shahin, the new President of the National Energy Research Center, on June 25. All welcomed U.S. membership with Jibril, who will attend the June 28-30 meetings in Cairo, commenting the U.S. "had nothing to lose" by joining and that U.S. membership and active "participation would be a good success for the agency." He added that Jordan paid close attention to President Obama's statements on renewables and would therefore "expect a lot." Irani likewise praised the Administration's stance and said IRENA member states would look to the U.S. for leadership. ¶2. (SBU) On the subject of the proposed location for IRENA headquarters, Jibril said Jordan would join Arab consensus and support the UAE's bid. Jordan also shares the U.S. views on why the UAE is the best choice. Irani applauded the UAE's "bold" choice and the global message an oil-producing country was sending by embracing alternative energy forms. ¶3. (SBU) Jordan does not have an independent position on the candidates for Director-General and Jibril opined it would join consensus with other Arab states. Irani, however, said if the U.S. had a preferred candidate, he would encourage similar support from Jordan and the other Arab states. ¶4. (U) Jibril further added that subsequent to Jordan's January signature of the IRENA statue, the document had been forwarded to the cabinet for review and ultimate approval by the King and issuance of a royal decree (ref B). Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman