US embassy cable - 05AMMAN6723

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006723 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR PRM, NEA AND EUR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2015 
TAGS: PREF, PHUM, PREL, IS, SZ, JO, ICRC 
SUBJECT: JORDAN OFFERS PRIVATE SUPPORT FOR CONSULTATIONS ON 
MDA IN GENEVA 
 
REF: STATE 149915 
 
Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). 
 
1. (C) Per reftel, acting Pol Chief and refcoord met with 
Walid Obeidat, the Director of the Jordanian Foreign 
Minister's Private Office, on August 21 to ask that Jordan 
back the proposal for a diplomatic conference to adopt the 
new international Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement emblem when 
Switzerland convenes consultations on the issue in Geneva 
September 12-13.  Obeidat confirmed that Jordan had decided 
against providing a formal bilateral response to the Swiss 
following the June Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) 
meeting in Yemen, but assured us that Jordan not only remains 
in support of the conference/MDA membership, but had 
privately conveyed its position to the Swiss within the past 
week.  He also promised to convey to the FM reftel request 
for coordination with the U.S. mission. 
 
2. (C) However, Obeidat was very doubtful that Jordan would 
share its position with any regional states.  He noted that 
OIC/Arab League missions in Geneva appeared to be taking "a 
more hard-line position than their own capitals," and 
stressed that Jordan appeared to be "only Arab state in 
support of MDA membership."  Continuing, he noted that Jordan 
continues to be subject to intense pressure, not just from 
regional states, but from the Palestinian Authority, to 
maintain OIC/Arab League consensus opposing convening the 
emblem conference.  Obeidat added that the Jordanian Foreign 
Ministry believes the OIC/Arab League position is deely 
entrenched, despite the positive reaction to date to Israeli 
disengagement. 
 
HENZEL