US embassy cable - 03AMMAN2959

UNCLAS AMMAN 002959 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC, KUNR, PREL, JO, UN, WHO 
SUBJECT: WHO SCALE OF ASSESSMENTS: JORDANIAN HEALTH 
MINISTER ALREADY IN GENEVA 
 
REF: STATE 131497 
 
 1. (U) On May 18, A/Polcouns conveyed reftel points on the 
WHO scale of assessments issue to Ambassador Musa Burayzat, 
the Director of the MFA's IO Department, and requested 
Jordan's support of the U.S. position at the WHA in Geneva. 
Separately, econoff passed the same material to the Jordanian 
Ministry of Health. 
 
2. (U) On May 20, A/Polcouns followed up with Burayzat who 
said that Jordan's head of delegation to the WHA, Minister of 
Health Dr. Walid Ma'ani, had already departed Amman for 
Geneva.  The MFA had passed our points on to him there and 
Burayzat encouraged the U.S. delegation to contact Ma'ani 
directly about this issue.  Burayzat noted that while the GOJ 
as a rule seeks to support U.S. positions, any increase in 
Jordan's WHA assessment would have budgetary implications and 
would have to be reviewed by its Ministry of Finance. 
A/Polcouns pointed out that the issue at hand is not a change 
in the scale of assessments -- that had already been adopted 
by member states in 2001 -- but rather possible continuation 
of mediation.  Burayzat noted the distinction but 
nevertheless the MFA, after hearing Health Minister Ma'ani's 
views on the subject, would have to consult with Finance 
before making a decision. 
GNEHM