US embassy cable - 05HELSINKI476

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000476 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL/PC, NEA/I, AND EUR/NB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, SNAR, SOCI, IZ, FI, Finland-Jordan 
SUBJECT: FINNS SAY 'YES' TO EXTENDING POLICE TRAINERS AT 
JIPTC 
 
REF: STATE 72189 
 
1. (U) We delivered reftel demarche to Anu Laamanen-Ryter, 
Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Unit for Civilian 
Crisis Management.  Laamanen-Ryter told us the Finns had 
already concluded that the Jordan International Police 
Training Center (JIPTC) will need to remain in operation past 
the end of this year, and are planning to include funds in 
next year's budget to keep the ten Finnish police instructors 
in place through the end of 2006. 
 
2. (U) Laamanen-Ryter mentioned that there is one "technical 
problem" that is a growing worry for the Finns. The GoF is 
seeking to conclude a bilateral agreement with the Government 
of Jordan on the status of the Finnish instructors that would 
give them the same legal standing as members of an embassy's 
administrative and technical staff under the Vienna 
Convention on Diplomatic Relations.  The text of the 
bilateral agreement has been completed but the Jordanians 
have yet to sign it.  The GoF is not clear on the reason for 
the delay, said Laamanen-Ryter.  She sees no substantive 
problem, since the agreement is essentially the same as those 
Jordan has already signed with Sweden and Austria. 
 
3. (U) Laamanen-Ryter said that the Finnish ambassador to 
Damascus, who is also accredited to Amman, has brought this 
up with the Jordanians several times, but to no avail.  The 
Finnish police instructors are growing increasingly restive, 
and complained to Foreign Minister Tuomioja when he had lunch 
with them during a recent visit to Jordan.  The Finns do not 
believe this matter has reached the point where it needs to 
be elevated to the ministerial level, said Laamanen-Ryter, 
but she wondered if the U.S. could shed any light on the 
matter via our own contacts with JIPTC. 
MACK