Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI4508
2003-10-07 11:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
NEW IRAQI ECONOMIC PACKAGE AND DONORS' CONFERENCE
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 03/20/2007 05:10:42 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: CONFIDENTIAL SIPDIS TELEGRAM October 07, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 4508 - PRIORITY) TAGS: ECON, EFIN, PGOV Captions: None Subject: NEW IRAQI ECONOMIC PACKAGE AND DONORS' CONFERENCE Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 04508 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: POL P/M AMB DCM Laser1: INFO: FCS DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: AMB:MMWAHBA DRAFTED: ECON:OJOHN CLEARED: ECON:CMARTIN-CRUMPLER, POL:JMAYBURY VZCZCADI424 PP RUEHC RUEHDE RUEHZM RUEKJCS RUCNDT RUCNMEM RUEHKO RUEATRS RHMFISS DE RUEHAD #4508 2801126 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 071126Z OCT 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1992 INFO RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI PRIORITY 3463 RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1164 RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0268 RUEATRS/TREASURY DEPT WASHDC RHMFISS/HQ COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTH BAGHDAD
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 004508
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, EB/IFD/ODF
E.O. 12958: 9/28/08
TAGS: ECON EFIN PGOV IZ TC
SUBJECT: NEW IRAQI ECONOMIC PACKAGE AND DONORS' CONFERENCE
REF: A) STATE 280324, B) ABU DHABI 4372
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 004508
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, EB/IFD/ODF
E.O. 12958: 9/28/08
TAGS: ECON EFIN PGOV IZ TC
SUBJECT: NEW IRAQI ECONOMIC PACKAGE AND DONORS' CONFERENCE
REF: A) STATE 280324, B) ABU DHABI 4372
1. Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for reasons
1.5 (b and d).
2. (C) Econchief and econoff discussed Iraqi economic
reforms and the Madrid donors' conference with Ministry of
Finance Assistant Undersecretary for Revenue and Budget
Khalid Al-Bustani (protect). Al-Bustani said that in his
personal view, the best thing for Iraq to do would be to
rebuild its system from the ground up, i.e., privatize
services such as airports, seaports, and the railroads from
the beginning and regulate them. This way the Iraqis would
avoid recreating an inefficient bureaucracy and "get it
right" the first time. (Note: Dubai Ports Authority is
currently the subcontractor to manage the Iraqi port of Umm
Qasr. End Note)
3. (C) Al-Bustani also said that he thought that there was a
great deal of pent up demand in the UAE for investment
opportunities in Iraq that would be realized when "the time
was right." He noted that UAE businesses were concerned
about both the security environment and the investment
climate in Iraq. In his view, businesses were reluctant to
invest in Iraq without some sort of guarantee (insurance)
against wholesale nationalization by a future government.
He welcomed hearing from Econchief that the new regulations
resulted from discussions between the CPA and the IGC,
saying that this helped indicate the view of the Iraqi
people. He also welcomed the fact that the CPA published
the orders on its website as a necessary transparency.
4) (SBU) Al-Bustani also suggested that the U.S., UAE, and
Iraqis work together to facilitate private investment and
business opportunities in Iraq by holding business
development roundtables and, eventually, business tours or
trade fairs. He stressed, however, the U.S. would need to
determine the best time to start these exchanges, in order
to avoid raising private sector expectations too early.
5) (C) Econchief asked about UAEG plans for the upcoming
Madrid donors' conference. Al-Bustani said that the MFA has
been taking the lead on preparations for the donors'
conference, but that the Ministry of Finance was well aware
of the meeting. He told Econchief that the UAE was
discussing who would be the head of the UAE delegation and
speculated that it might be MinState for Finance Khirbash.
Al-Bustani also noted that the Abu Dhabi Fund for
Development had been closely involved in all of the UAE's
reconstruction efforts in Iraq and that it would likely be
part of the delegation as would he. Al-Bustani also
expressed concern about the lukewarm commitments that the EU
had made. Although he did not discuss any potential UAE
commitment, he did note that a stable and economically
prosperous Iraq was in everyone's best interests.
6. (U) CPA minimize considered.
Wahba
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, EB/IFD/ODF
E.O. 12958: 9/28/08
TAGS: ECON EFIN PGOV IZ TC
SUBJECT: NEW IRAQI ECONOMIC PACKAGE AND DONORS' CONFERENCE
REF: A) STATE 280324, B) ABU DHABI 4372
1. Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for reasons
1.5 (b and d).
2. (C) Econchief and econoff discussed Iraqi economic
reforms and the Madrid donors' conference with Ministry of
Finance Assistant Undersecretary for Revenue and Budget
Khalid Al-Bustani (protect). Al-Bustani said that in his
personal view, the best thing for Iraq to do would be to
rebuild its system from the ground up, i.e., privatize
services such as airports, seaports, and the railroads from
the beginning and regulate them. This way the Iraqis would
avoid recreating an inefficient bureaucracy and "get it
right" the first time. (Note: Dubai Ports Authority is
currently the subcontractor to manage the Iraqi port of Umm
Qasr. End Note)
3. (C) Al-Bustani also said that he thought that there was a
great deal of pent up demand in the UAE for investment
opportunities in Iraq that would be realized when "the time
was right." He noted that UAE businesses were concerned
about both the security environment and the investment
climate in Iraq. In his view, businesses were reluctant to
invest in Iraq without some sort of guarantee (insurance)
against wholesale nationalization by a future government.
He welcomed hearing from Econchief that the new regulations
resulted from discussions between the CPA and the IGC,
saying that this helped indicate the view of the Iraqi
people. He also welcomed the fact that the CPA published
the orders on its website as a necessary transparency.
4) (SBU) Al-Bustani also suggested that the U.S., UAE, and
Iraqis work together to facilitate private investment and
business opportunities in Iraq by holding business
development roundtables and, eventually, business tours or
trade fairs. He stressed, however, the U.S. would need to
determine the best time to start these exchanges, in order
to avoid raising private sector expectations too early.
5) (C) Econchief asked about UAEG plans for the upcoming
Madrid donors' conference. Al-Bustani said that the MFA has
been taking the lead on preparations for the donors'
conference, but that the Ministry of Finance was well aware
of the meeting. He told Econchief that the UAE was
discussing who would be the head of the UAE delegation and
speculated that it might be MinState for Finance Khirbash.
Al-Bustani also noted that the Abu Dhabi Fund for
Development had been closely involved in all of the UAE's
reconstruction efforts in Iraq and that it would likely be
part of the delegation as would he. Al-Bustani also
expressed concern about the lukewarm commitments that the EU
had made. Although he did not discuss any potential UAE
commitment, he did note that a stable and economically
prosperous Iraq was in everyone's best interests.
6. (U) CPA minimize considered.
Wahba