US embassy cable - 02AMMAN4843

UNCLAS AMMAN 004843 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
ROME FOR CASLO KARL BROWN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, JO, ICAO 
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN VIEWS ON ICAO SYG, DESIRE FOR SEAT ON 
ICAO COUNCIL 
 
REF: STATE 134749 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY 
 
1.  (SBU) Jordanian Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Director 
General Hanna Najjar told us August 22 he agrees with the 
U.S. view that it is appropriate that the ICAO seek new 
leadership following the expiration of current SYG Renato 
Costa Pereira's second term in office.  Najjar said that 
while Pereira had done "a fine job", two four-year terms were 
enough.  He added that the Jordanian government had not yet 
considered who to support for the post and had not been 
approached by any potential candidates. 
 
2.  (SBU) Najjar said that as previously discussed between 
Jordanian officials and US Ambassador to the ICAO Stimpson, 
Jordan's priority interest is in gaining a seat on the ICAO 
Council.  Najjar said this would reinforce Jordan's position 
as a regional leader on aviation security issues.  We said we 
would pass along Najjar's comments. 
 
3.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Jordan has indeed been working hard to 
stake out a leading position on aviation security issues, 
working closely with the United States and with ICAO.  At the 
March ICAO ministerial, Jordan took a leading role in 
attempting to organize a common Arab position in support of 
U.S. initiatives.  Since March, Jordan has been working with 
ICAO to organize a regional training program for aviation 
security auditors.  Its cooperation with the United States on 
aviation security issues post-September 11 has been 
consistent and valuable, a position reinforced by a recent 
and positive assessment of Jordan's aviation security posture 
by the Transportation Security Administration.  We believe 
that as a member of the Council, Jordan would share the U. S. 
approach to aviation security and other aviation initiatives. 
 
BERRY