US embassy cable - 04AMMAN6121

UNCLAS AMMAN 006121 
 
SIPDIS 
 
4110/ITA/MAC/OAC/TCC/NWIEGLER 
STATE FOR NEA/ARN 
STATE ALSO PASS TO USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, PREL, JO 
SUBJECT: COMMERCE A/S LASH SECURES EXEMPTION FROM DAMAN 
 
1.  This is an action cable.  See para 3. 
 
2.  Assistant Secretary of Commerce William Lash June 29 
called on Dr. Ahmad Hindawi, head of the Jordan Institute of 
Standards and Metrology (JISM), the lead Jordanian agency for 
the DAMAN product conformity pre-shipment inspection program. 
 In response to A/S Lash's reiteration of U.S. objections to 
the DAMAN pre-inspection program Hindawi agreed in principle 
to an alternative -- what he termed a risk-based, 
post-shipment system.  It would include possible physical 
inspection, review of documentation, and/or testing, he 
noted.  He was relying on the products having been tested by 
appropriate U.S. labs with high standards, he said.  He 
agreed that the risk assessment would be multi-layered.  He 
agreed to an interim exemption for U.S.-produced products 
pending completion of studies of legal and technical issues 
related to the risk-based system. 
 
3.  ACTION REQUEST:  Embassy seeks guidance on the approach 
to be taken with JISM on an exemption for U.S.-based 
products.  An "interim" exemption would be non-binding on the 
USG; should it prove ineffective we could ask to cancel it. 
On the other hand, if it proved beneficial, it could last 
forever.  Embassy believes that we should start now to make 
the case for a permanent exemption with the Ministry of 
Industry and Trade, and seeks guidance on the points we 
should make.  Charge meets with Hindawi on July 21. 
 
4.  A/S Lash did not have the opportunity to review this 
cable. 
HALE