Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAGHDAD2067
2006-06-19 09:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

INITIAL EMBASSY MEETING WITH STATE MINISTER FOR

Tags:  PGOV PNAT KDEM PREL IZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3060
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #2067 1700943
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 190943Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5143
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC//NSC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0496
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002067 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2016
TAGS: PGOV PNAT KDEM PREL IZ
SUBJECT: INITIAL EMBASSY MEETING WITH STATE MINISTER FOR
CIVIL SOCIETY AL-ASSEDY


Classified By: POL COUNS Margaret Scobey for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002067

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2016
TAGS: PGOV PNAT KDEM PREL IZ
SUBJECT: INITIAL EMBASSY MEETING WITH STATE MINISTER FOR
CIVIL SOCIETY AL-ASSEDY


Classified By: POL COUNS Margaret Scobey for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).

1.(SBU) In a June 14 meeting with PolCouns and PolOff,
newly appointed State Minister for Civil Society Adil Al-
Assedy told PolCouns that he was committed to advocate for
civil society and would work to expand and develop its role
in Iraq. Assedy said he wanted to expand civil society as
a channel between the people and the government. Citing
CPA order 45 as a basis, Assedy said that his goal was to
develop modern civil society institutions and that he
planned to focus on human rights, education, health issues
and vocational institutions. Assedy said he welcomed
international assistance in building civil society
organizations and would cancel all registration fees for
foreign NGOs to encourage them to work in Iraq.

2.(C) PolCons welcomed Assedy's remarks, stating that his
efforts and the work of his ministry would make it possible
for Iraqi society to thrive and complete its progress
towards democracy. In response to PolCouns' query on the
status of the newly proposed NGO draft law, Assedy said
that he had read the draft and believed it needed some
adjustments and compromises. Assedy expressed concern that
civil society organizations and NGOs could easily be a
front for terrorist organizations and said that the
proposed draft law may not be strong enough to deal with
NGOs controlled by terrorists or other fake NGOs. Assedy
said that while he did not want to interfere with the work
of NGOs, the monitoring provisions in the proposed law
weren't strong enough to protect civil society from these
abuses. PolCouns responded that while regulations to
ensure transparency in accounting and registration of NGOs
were normal, the Ministry and government of Iraq must apply
these rules evenly and with a light hand. If civil society
is to prosper, the government must not be seen as unduly
restricting it.

3.(C)BIONOTE: Adil Al-Assedy belongs to the Islamic Labor
Organization. Assedy fled Iraq to Iran at the age of 15 and
from there went to the Kurdish Province of Sulaymaniyah.
From Sulaymaniyah he went to Syria, where he stated he
worked with local media outlets and operated a micro-
lending NGO. With the fall of Saddam, Assedy said he moved
to Karbala, where he continued to operate a micro-lending
NGO that helped open up small businesses and provided
funding and other assistance which allowed men to get
married. Assedy has been to the UK at least once but does
not speak English.
SPECKHARD