US embassy cable - 03AMMAN2997

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002997 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2013 
TAGS: PHUM, JO 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON THE STATUS OF THREE INSTRUMENTS 
RELATED TO THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN 
 
REF: A. REFTEL A: STATE 126276 
 
     B. REFTEL B: AMMAN 1357 
 
Classified By: DCM GREGORY L. BERRY FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) Per reftel a, on April 19 A/PolCouns and PolOff 
delivered message to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  MFA 
Legal Adviser Samer Naber and Human Rights Officer Bisher 
Khasawneh provided the following information: 
 
a. The GOJ is a party to ILO Convention 182 (reftel B). 
 
b. On the Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child 
Prostitution and Child Pornography, Naber said that Jordan 
has laws banning child slavery dating to 1927, and stiff 
penalties for crimes involving child prostitution or 
pornography (reftel b).  Jordan is a signatory to the sexual 
exploitation protocol, but has yet to join.  He expressed 
confidence that the GOJ is &moving toward8 joining the 
protocol. 
 
c.  On the Protocol on Children in Armed Conflict, Naber said 
the GOJ &in practice8 does not violate the terms of the 
protocol, i.e. it is not currently engaging in forced 
conscription of minors.  However, the current law does allow 
for the GOJ to draft males 16 and above, in extreme 
circumstances.  Jordan is not a party to the Protocol. 
 
2. (SBU) We urged the GOJ to join the two Protocols.  Naber 
and Khasawneh took the point, and said they would pass the 
message forward within the GOJ. 
GNEHM