DEMINING COMMISSION REQUESTS ASSISTANCE WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002798

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR PM/WRA DENNIS HADRICK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINS MOPS JO
SUBJECT: DEMINING COMMISSION REQUESTS ASSISTANCE WITH
TRAININGS, CLEARANCE ALONG ISRAELI BORDER

Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Ambassador Beecroft met on December 20
with Prince Mirad bin Zeid Al Hussein, the Chairman of
Jordan's National Committee for Demining and Rehabilitation
(NCDR). Prince Mirad reviewed the success of the NCDR's 2009
Demining Management course for leaders from National Demining
Commissions and thanked the USG for financial support. He
requested USG assistance to expand the global training
program in 2011 and for a demining and EWR clearance project
in the Jordan River Valley along the border with Israel. End
Summary.

2009 Training Course a Success
--------------


2. (C) Prince Mirad reviewed the success of the 2009
Explosive Remnants of War training course for global leaders.
The month-long course concluded on November 5 and was funded
by a grant through the Political-Military Bureau's Office of
Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA). The course was
attended by 30 senior leaders from national demining
commissions, with representation from countries with large
scale demining programs in which the U.S. is active
(including Cambodia, Columbia, Iraq, Sudan, Vietnam, and
others). Training on topics in program administration and
management was delivered by officials from NCDR, UNDP, and
faculty from James Madison University's Center for
International Stabilization and Recovery. The NCDR will run
a second iteration of the course in the first half of 2010
with funds from the same grant.

Plan for Additional Global Training
--------------


3. (C) Prince Mirad indicated that based on the success of
this course and widespread interest from national demining
commissions and the Geneva International Center for
Humanitarian Demining (GICHD),his staff has begun preparing
a suite of additional courses and training programs on
specialized topics in the field with a view towards
implementation beginning in 2011. A focus for the NCDR, he
said, would be on delivering courses in Arabic (for Arab
countries) and French (for countries in Francophone Africa).
Prince Mirad said there was some interest by European
countries and Canada in helping to sponsor the work and he
solicited U.S. financial contributions.

Mine Clearance in Jordan Valley Requires Israeli Cooperation
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Prince Mirad also reviewed Jordan's second largest
removal and clearance project, located in the Jordan River
Valley. There are approximately 267 minefields in land
adjacent to the Jordan River in a 188 km stretch from the
border with Syria towards the Dead Sea. A key challenge for
NCDR is that a significant proportion of the mines are
unaccounted for, having shifted under rainwater and periodic
flooding. Some mines have been caught in Jordan River
currents and slowly moved south. In addition, there are
reported cases of Israeli mines along the west bank of the
river having shifted, been caught in the river, and settled
on Jordanian banks.


5. (C) Prince Mirad said the problem presents a danger, not
only for Jordanians living in the area, but for popular
tourist sites such as the Baptism Site and the Dead Sea, for
agricultural development, and for the bilateral relationship
between Jordan and Israel. As the project continues, Israeli
coordination would be needed for clearance activity in the
river and possibly on Israeli banks, though he said no
contact had been made with Israeli officials about the
project.


6. (C) Prince Mirad requested financial assistance for the
project. The embassy has forwarded a copy of the project
proposal to PM/WRA for review.


7. (C) COMMENT: Jordan's NCDR is one of the most active

AMMAN 00002798 002 OF 002


and productive national demining commissions in the middle
east region and is currently implementing three State
Department grants and several grants from other countries.
In designing and implementing the global leaders course that
concluded in November, Jordan has established itself as an
international leader in this field. It is clear the NCDR has
ample excess capacity with which to continue to train and
mentor officials from other national demining commissions.
Beecroft