IRAQ: JOINT COMMITTEE TO TRANSFER SECURITY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001056 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2016 TAGS: PREL PINS MOPS IZ SUBJECT: IRAQ: JOINT COMMITTEE TO TRANSFER SECURITY RESPONSIBLITY MEETS REF: A. 05 BAGHDAD 3853 ¶B. 05 BAGHDAD 3731 Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION DANIEL SPECKHARD FOR REASONS 1.4 (A) AND (D) ¶1. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN) SUMMARY: The Principals Group of the Joint Committee to Transfer Security Responsibility (JCTSR) met March 27, 2006 at the Prime Minister's Situation Room to review progress made by the Working Group and to approve future steps. The meeting was chaired by National Security Advisor Dr. Mowaffak al-Rubaie and was attended by Minister of Defense Saadoun Dulime, Minister of Interior Bayan Jabr, MNF-I Commanding General Casey, MNF-I Deputy Commanding General LTG Fry, British Charge d'Affaires, and Embassy Acting PolMilCouns. The Principals endorsed the actions taken by the Working Group to date and directed them to continue to prepare for the commencement of the assessment process, currently scheduled to begin in early April. END SUMMARY. -------------- AREAS ASSESSED/SECURITY FRAMEWORK -------------- ¶2. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN) BACKGROUND: As reported reftel B, the four conditions to be assessed before security responsibility for a province or provincial capital can be transferred from MNF-I to the Provincial authorities are (1) threat level, (2) Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) capabilities, (3) local governance capabilities, and (4) the ability of MNF-I to reinforce ISF if needed. ¶3. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN) The Principals agreed with the recommendations made by the Working Group as listed below: -- The areas to be assessed for transfer of security responsibility are Iraq's eighteen provinces or, in the event an entire province is not ready for an assessment, the provincial capital. -- The Security Framework contemplates two conditions, normal and crisis. Under normal conditions Iraqi provincial authorities ensure the security and domestic order in the province through use of provincial/local police. A crisis condition would be declared by the Prime Minister when an incident or situation arises that exceeds the capabilities of the provincial police and that requires national security assets (National Police and/or Iraqi Army) or MNF-I forces to contain or control. -- The deployment of national security assets or MNF-I forces would take place once a Governor, acting through normal channels, requests assistance. Alternatively, the Prime Minister may declare a crisis and order national security assets deployed or request the MNF-I Commanding General to deploy forces. -- During a crisis the Prime Minister will designate the lead command to resolve the crisis and all other involved forces will support the lead. Routinely, if Iraqi National Police forces are deployed, either the National Police commander or the Provincial Chief of Police shall be designated as the lead commander; if Iraqi Army forces are deployed, the Iraqi Army commander will be designated as the lead commander with National Police Forces and Provincial Police in support; if MNF-I forces are deployed, the MNF-I unit commander will be designated as lead with Iraqi Army, National Police, and Provincial Police in support. -------------- ASSESSMENT PROCESS -------------- ¶4. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN) The process to recommend whether a province or provincial capital is ready for security transfer will take between 14 and 21 days and will consist of the following steps: -- The provincial assessment will be conducted by representatives of the Governor, Multi-National Division (MND) Commander, the Ministries of Interior and Defense, and of the U.S. and British Embassies. BAGHDAD 00001056 002 OF 002 -- The JCTSR Sub-Working Group will assemble and review the data and prepare a briefing for the Working Group. -- The JCTSR Working Group will review the data and develop a recommendation. -- The JCTSR Principals Group will discuss the data and validate the recommendation. -- The recommendation shall be presented to the Ministerial Committee for National Security (MCNS),chaired by the Prime Minister, which will determine whether security responsibility for the province or provincial capital should be transferred from MNF-I to the provincial government. -------------- TRANSFER OF SECURITY RESPONSIBILITY -------------- ¶5. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN) Once the MCNS has approved an area for transfer, the process to complete the transfer will take up to 45 days and will consist of the following steps: -- Strategic Directive: The Iraqi Government will issue written guidance on transfer date, security framework, and ministerial support. -- Media Plan: The Iraqi Government will have the lead with U.S. and British Embassies and MNF-I in support. -- Transfer Agreement: The MND commander and the Governor will jointly draft an agreement detailing the post-transfer relationship between MND and the provincial government. -- Transfer Ceremony: The Provincial Governor and MND commander will plan and conduct a public ceremony. The MND commander will remain responsible for security until the conclusion of the transfer ceremony. -------------- MEETINGS WITH GOVERNORS -------------- ¶6. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN) The Principals Group also approved of meetings the Working Group has begun holding with Provincial Governors and MND Commanders to familiarize them with the conditions and to get their ideas, reactions, and feed-back. On March 22 the Working Group met with the Governors of Wasit, Maysan, and al-Muthana provinces, along with the Commanding Generals of MND-South East and MND-Center South. On March 23 the Working Group met with the Governors of Baghdad and Najaf provinces, along with the Deputy Commanding General of MND-Baghdad. The next meetings are planned for April 6 with the Governors of Dahuk, Arbil, As-Sulaymaniyah, Ninawa, Tamim, Salahaddin, and Diyala Provinces and April 8 with the Governor of al-Anbar. During the meetings to date the Governors have expressed appreciation that the central government would include them and solicit their comments. The governors have provided valuable insights which the committee will use in refining the implementing arrangement. -------------- NEXT STEPS -------------- ¶7. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN) Current plans call for the assessment process to begin in early April. KHALILZAD