FM AGREES TO SEND LETTERS TO UNSC AND TROOP

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 001792 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/29/2026 TAGS: PREL UNSC IZ SUBJECT: FM AGREES TO SEND LETTERS TO UNSC AND TROOP CONTRIBUTING COUNTRIES REF: (A) STATE 84132 (B) STATE 86433 Classified By: Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Political Counselor delivered ref A points to Foreign Minister Hoshyiar Zebari on May 28 and asked that the Iraqi Government prepare a letter from the Prime Minister or Foreign Minister to the UNSC asking for the continuation of MNF-I presence in Iraq. FM Zebari said that the last time such a letter was drafted it caused a "fuss" among some of the political parties. Now that the Sadrists and Sunni Tawafuq are in the Council of Representatives (CoR),the issue must be handled with care. (COMMENT: We will approach PM al-Maliki to underscore the importance of this letter. Our experience with the FM's letter to the UNSC last November suggests that al-Maliki's full support will be essential.) ¶2. (S) Zebari said that he will explain to the PM and the political groups that the request was not a new international agreement which would require CoR action, but simply an extension of an existing agreement. After initial hesitation, he predicted that the letter can be generated this time but that the December extension "will not be easy." ¶3. (C) PolCouns also delivered ref B points requesting that Zebari prepare letters of appreciation to troop contributing countries. Zebari promised to do so. KHALILZAD