USEB 003: LETTER ON AGREMENT FROM MINISTER OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000004 E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/14 TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ SUBJECT: USEB 003: LETTER ON AGREMENT FROM MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO SECRETARY POWELL CLASSIFIED BY DCM JAMES JEFFREY FOR REASONS 1.4 (D). ¶1. (U) THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF A LETTER RECEIVED ON JUNE 29 BY EMBASSY BAGHDAD FOR SECRETARY POWELL FROM IRAQI MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS HOSHYAR ZEBARI GRANTING AGREMENT FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE. THE LETTER ALSO APPROVED OUR FOUR EMBASSY OFFICES. BEGIN TEXT: THE HONORABLE COLIN POWELL SECRETARY OF STATE DEPARTMENT OF STATE WASHINGTON DC BAGHDAD 29TH JUNE 2004 DEAR MR. SECRETARY. IT IS A GREAT HONOR TO RECEIVE YOUR LETTER OF 27TH JUNE, 2004 CONGRATULATING ME ON IRAQQS RESUMPTION OF SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY AND PROPOSING ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR FRIENDLY NATIONS. WHILE I APPRECIATE YOUR KIND SENTIMENT, I ALSO WISH TO CONFIRM TO YOUR EXCELLENCY THAT MY PRIME MINISTER, MR. AYAD ALLAWI, HAS AGREED IN HIS LETTER TO PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH ON THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON RESUMPTION OF SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY BY IRAQI INTERIM GOVERNMENT. HE ALSO AGREED ON THE OPENING OF THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD AS WELL AS OFFICES IN BASRA, KIRKUK, HILLA, AND MOSUL, AS WELL AS THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. NEGROPONTE AS AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY TO IRAQ. IT IS ALSO THE INTENTION OF MY GOVERNMENT TO REOPEN THE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ IN WASHINGTON, AND IRAQI CONSULATES IN SOME U.S. CITIES IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. IT IS THE UNDERSTANDING OF MY GOVERNMENT THAT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN GRANTED ON THE AFOREMENTIONED BY MEANS OF THE EXCHANGE OF THE LETTERS OF EXCHANGE BETWEEN OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS. I LOOK FORWARD TO DEVELOPING FRIENDLY AND CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO NATIONS. PLEASE ACCEPT, YOUR EXCELLENCY, MY SINCERE WISHES AND KIND REGARDS. SINCERELY, HOSHYAR ZEBARI END TEXT. ¶2. (C) COMMENT. THE AMBASSADOR WILL SEE THE FOREIGN MINISTER WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND WILL RAISE THE MINISTER'S MENTION OF IRAQI CONSULATES TO ENSURE THE MFA UNDERSTANDS THE APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES. END COMMENT. NEGROPONTE ...