IRAQI DELEGATION TO EVALUATE FRENCH TRAINING OFFER

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002859 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2010 TAGS: PREL PINS MASS IZ FR SUBJECT: IRAQI DELEGATION TO EVALUATE FRENCH TRAINING OFFER REF: PARIS 04043 Classified By: Charge d' Affaires David M. Satterfield for reason 1.4 ( b) ¶1. (C//REL AUS, GB) Minister of State for National Security Abdul Kareem Al An'zi will lead an Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) delegation to France within the next two weeks to evaluate the long-standing French security training offer. Al An'zi told us July 7 that French officials had renewed their offer in a direct approach to the ITG delegation at the recent Brussels conference. ¶2. (C//REL AUS, GB, FR) Al An'zi reiterated the ITG's preference that all training programs, including any sponsored by France, be located in Iraq. He implied his government's reluctance to pay the travel and per diem expenses attendant upon training sited in France or, even, a Gulf region country. ¶3. (SBU) The minister solicited our advice about French training programs that may be especially suitable to Iraqi needs. We will coordinate a response with Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq (MNSTC-I). We would welcome Embassy Paris' identification of training that would allow the Iraqis access to French security competencies. Satterfield