US embassy cable - 03AMMAN7387

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 007387 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
CPA FOR KURT MUELLER AND ED BURLEY 
ROME FOR CUSTOMS - STIRITI 
DHS FOR US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, OFFICE OF 
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PPD, AND ECA/CPC 
STATE ALSO FOR L/T AND L/LEI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC, KNNP, KTIA, KSTC, SCUL, MNUC, PARM, PREL, PTER, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDAN OFFERS CUSTOMS TRAINING TO IRAQ DURING 
DISCUSSION ON EXPORT CONTROLS 
 
REF: A. STATE 313321 
     B. STATE 293624 
     C. AMMAN 3421 
     D. STATE 113776 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. 
 
1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  In a discussion concerning a proposed 
export control and related security assistance (EXBS) program 
in Jordan, Jordanian Customs Department Director General 
Mahmoud Qteishat expressed to the DCM his government's 
gratitude and support for the program.  Qteishat also gave 
assurances of the Government of Jordan's (GOJ) willingness to 
provide any and all assistance to Iraqi authorities as they 
re-establish their customs department.  Next steps are 
proposed for the EXBS program and for support of closer 
GOJ-Iraqi ties.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (U)  DCM met with DG Qteishat November 12 to discuss the 
EXBS program for Jordan outlined in Reftels (A, B), noting 
that we would follow up with the likely POC for the program 
in the Ministry of Planning.  Qtesihat reviewed the steps 
that GOJ Customs was taking to modernize and expressed 
support for the EXBS program. 
 
IRAQ BORDER CUSTOMS 
------------------- 
 
3.  (SBU)  When asked about Iraq-border operations, the DG 
noted that Jordanian customs had been doing the work of two 
customs departments at the Karahmeh-Trebil checkpoint.  Since 
the U.S. Armed Forces took over at the border on the Iraqi 
side, he said, they have focused on security; the military 
has little experience in immigration or customs, he noted. 
Because of the volumes at the border, including for 
humanitarian shipments going into Iraq, the GOJ increased its 
customs manpower.  The GOJ customs department is also 
focusing at the Iraq-Jordan border on security -- arms and 
munitions -- and also on the attempted smuggling of Iraqi 
historical and artistic artifacts.  Qteishat expressed the 
GOJ's satisfaction with the level of interdictions at the 
border, noting the recent seizure of 15 Iraqi artifacts 
smuggled out of Iraq that were "thousands of years old." 
(NOTE:  We have not seen this seizure reported in the press. 
END NOTE.) 
 
4.  (SBU)  The DCM asked the DG if he had any contacts with 
Iraqi officials.  Qteishat noted that he had unofficially met 
the Iraqi interior minister, had met his Iraqi customs 
counterpart a week ago, and would meet with him again in 
December.  Jordan has invited Iraqi officials to attend the 
regional customs meeting in Abu Dhabi in January that Jordan 
would be chairing, he said. 
 
OFFER OF ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ CUSTOMS 
----------------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU)  Qteishat expressed the GOJ's willingness to 
provide any and all assistance to Iraqi customs as it begins 
the process of reorganizing.  The customs DG noted that the 
GOJ was respected in the region for its efficiency and 
effectiveness and had provided training in the past to Egypt, 
Libya, and Lebanon.  The DCM noted that such cooperation to 
re-establish institutions in Iraq was welcome and suggested 
that the embassy would follow up on this offer with officials 
in Baghdad. 
 
BILATERAL CUSTOMS MUTUAL ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
6. (SBU)  Qteishat briefly mentioned that a U.S.-Jordan 
Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) was in the last 
stages of review and that he had received authority to sign 
such an agreement with the U.S.  (COMMENT:  He implied that 
the GOJ had not yet endorsed the latest round of suggested 
amendments by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, passed to 
Qteishat directly by CBP on October 30.  END COMMENT.) 
 
NEXT STEPS 
---------- 
 
7.  (SBU)  IRAQ NEXT STEPS:  Post's USAID AMIR Program (which 
focuses on economic policy initiatives, and has a program on 
customs reform and modernization) has limited funding to 
support a get-together between Iraqi and Jordanian customs 
officials.  We understand that AMIR is in touch with CPA's 
Customs POC in Baghdad, LTC Ed Burley.  Embassy strongly 
suggests that we expand the programs of cooperation and 
coordination in customs, especially since Iraqi customs is 
set to begin collecting tariffs on January 1, 2004. 
 
8.  (SBU)  EXBS NEXT STEPS:  Post is preparing to host a WMD 
Awareness course January 11-15.  As noted Reftel C, because 
of the ambitious scope of the EXBS program in Jordan,  we 
strongly urge the assignment and placement in Jordan of an 
EXBS advisor who could coordinate the program activities from 
Jordan.  If we expect Jordanian officials to fulfill their 
security objectives, they will need training soon and this 
will require the presence of an advisor soonest.  Post is 
grateful for Washington's cooperation and initiative in 
advancing EXBS measures in Jordan. 
 
9.  (U)  CPA minimize considered. 
GNEHM