IRAQI JUDICIAL TRAINING

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001911

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR S/WCI - PROSPER/RICHARD; BAGHDAD FOR
STONE/MCGURK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ ICTY KWIC
SUBJECT: IRAQI JUDICIAL TRAINING

Entire text sensitive but unclassified; protect accordingly.


1. (SBU) In early May in The Hague, Justices Sandra Day
O'Connor and Anthony Kennedy chaired a conference on the rule
of law in Iraq, involving some thirty Iraqi judges and twenty
other jurists, advisers and staff. We understand that there
is consideration in Baghdad of a proposed follow-on
conference or conferences outside of Iraq.


2. (SBU) Should the Department and Embassy Baghdad plan to
hold a follow-on to the May conference, we would recommend
including at least one session in The Netherlands, given the
international legal institutions located here. Ideally, this
should be a focused program, bringing to The Hague a small
number of Iraq Special Tribunal officials and advisers (up to
fifteen total) early in 2005. Although a program scheduled
for this fall would not be practical, scheduling after
December -- following the conclusion of the Dutch EU
presidency, ICTY investigations and indictments, and Iraqi
elections -- would be feasible. Scheduling before the new
year could be feasible if Department sees a compelling reason
to do so and provides Embassy with sufficient resources. We
would also note that the participation of senior American and
other jurists would again be crucial to a follow-on seminar's
success.


3. (U) Minimize considered.
SOBEL