TEAM MEETS WITH IRAQIS TO DISCUSS NATIONAL

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 000025 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV IZ SUBJECT: TEAM MEETS WITH IRAQIS TO DISCUSS NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION CARD ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Post supports the proof-of-concept proposed by the GOI and endorsed by a joint DOS-DOD team from Washington, who traveled to Baghdad to assess the Iraqis' national ID card proposal. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) A joint DOS-DOD team traveled to Baghdad to assess Iraq's Unified Identification Card Committee's proposal for a national ID card. The team met with representatives from the Iraqi Ministry of Planning (MOP),Ministry of Interior (MOI), MNF-I and the Embassy to devise a way-ahead for USG involvement in the Iraqis' national ID card. ¶3. (U) To understand the Iraqis' concept of a national ID card the team met with MG Yaseen, MOI Director of the Department of Citizenship and Travel. MG Yaseen is head of the Iraqis' "Unified Identification Card Committee" (UICC) set up jointly by MOI and MOP per the direction of Dr. Barham Salih, MOP. The UICC was set up in October 2005 to craft a written proposal for the national ID card before the 15 December elections. MG Yaseen outlined the Iraqis' model of their national ID card plan and related the history of the Committee; he also delineated the Government of Iraq's needs for USG technical assistance. Ideally, the national ID card will be issued to all Iraqi citizens in time for their October 2007 national census. ¶4. (U) In early December the committee's written proposal and additional memoranda were accepted by the Iraqi Council of Ministers. As the champion of the project, Dr. Salih sent a letter to the Ambassador asking for technical assistance from the USG on a proof-of-concept for the Iraqi national ID card. ¶5. (U) The team then met with MOI and MOP reps to discuss their formal proposal and address funding concerns. The Chief of Staff to MOP assured us the GOI will not be looking to the USG for future funding. The only request is for the USG's funding of the proof-of-concept, to which OSD has agreed. Salih has formally taken the lead for soliciting funding from donor GCC nations for the national ID card. He assured the Council of Ministers that other Gulf nations currently implementing their own national identification card systems (UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia) have a vested interest in compatibility with the Iraqi national ID card. ¶6. (U) The proof-of-concept will include scanning of three civil registration facility records in Baghdad, setting up a database of citizens, choosing volunteers to add their biographical/biometric information to the database, vetting their data through the Iraqis' criminal Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) and issuing the volunteers a prototype national ID card. The end-to-end test will utilize some of the technology currently in theater for DOD's Biometric Identification System for Access (BISA) program -- used for Coalition base access. All proof-of-concept details will be decided upon by the Iraqi Committee. ¶7. (U) The proof-of-concept will be implemented during the period between elections and solidification of the GOI. LITT