IRAQ - BRUSSELS CONFERENCE AND JEC: CHARGE,S

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002457 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2015 TAGS: ECON PREL IZ ECON SUBJECT: IRAQ - BRUSSELS CONFERENCE AND JEC: CHARGE,S MEETING WITH THE PRIME MINISTER REF: STATE 106124 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires James F. Jeffrey for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Following up DCM's meeting with Finance Minister Allawi (see SEPTEL),Charge on June 9 delivered REFTEL demarche to Prime Minister Ja'afari. (NOTE: Charge stressed donors' concerns about five-cent gasoline and free food, and provided REFTEL talking points in a non-paper verbally, but did include verbal points in the paper. END NOTE). ¶2. (C) Ja'afari nodded vigorously in affirmation of Charge's points on the need for reform of its fuel subsidy system, but did not commit to any specific date. ¶3. (C) Noting the importance of Iraq putting into place a cohesive structure for donor assistance coordination, Charge also stressed the critical role to be played by Minister of Planning Saleh in the country's reconstruction efforts. ¶4. (C) With regard to JEC deliverable agreements, Ja'afari asked for a detailed briefing. Embassy will follow up soonest. Jeffrey