US embassy cable - 04AMMAN6130

UNCLAS AMMAN 006130 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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 system 
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