US embassy cable - 05AMMAN6452

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006452 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2015 
TAGS: PARM, MARR, MASS, MOPS, JO 
SUBJECT: HOST COUNTRY AGREEMENT WITH JORDAN ON CWC 
CHALLENGE INSPECTIONS 
 
REF: STATE 142120 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
1.  (C) Acting PolCouns met with Foreign Ministry Legal 
Adviser Bisher Khasawneh on August 10 to present reftel 
talking points on the proposed bilateral Memorandum of 
Understanding (MOU) on challenge inspections under the 
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).  Khasawneh apologized for 
the long delay in providing a response to the MOU and 
expressed frustration that he had still not received complete 
feedback on the document from the Jordan Armed Forces or from 
the Ministry of Interior.  He pledged to raise this issue 
directly with Foreign Minister Kasrawi and to ask him to 
contact military and Interior Ministry officials to expedite 
a response.  (NOTE: Charge raised the MOU during an August 11 
meeting with the Foreign Minister (septel), who replied that 
he would look into the matter.  END NOTE.) 
 
2.  (C) Khasawneh further stated that while Jordan most 
likely would be represented at the 10th Conference of the 
States Parties to the CWC meeting at the Hague in early 
November, he was not sure at this time who would attend for 
the GOJ or whether this person would be able to discuss the 
finer points of the MOU.  He welcomed, however, a possible 
visit by a U.S. delegation to Amman in November (after 
Ramadan) or December for talks on this subject.  Post will 
continue to engage Khasawneh and the Foreign Minister on the 
MOU and report via septel once a GOJ response is received. 
HALE