NINEWA: PM MALIKI'S VISIT TO MOSUL 4 SEP 06

1. (SBU) Nuri al-Maliki made his first visit to
Ninewa Province as Iraq's Prime Minister 4
September, when he met over 100 Ninewa leaders,
including Provincial government officials, chairs of
Provincial Council committees, and ranking
traditional and opinion leaders. His brief opening
statement focused on the need for Iraqi unity and
the equally urgent need for economic development.



2. (SBU) Maliki's Ninewa interlocutors generally
concurred that security conditions have greatly
improved in Mosul and elsewhere in Ninewa, but
economic growth and development remain stalled owing
to continuing security concerns, poorly coordinated
distribution of development funds, and especially
continuing fuel and electricity shortages.
Provincial authorities and the Provincial Council
showed strong solidarity throughout the visit. End
summary.



3. (SBU) PM Maliki arrived at Mosul Airfield (MAF)
aboard an Iraqi C-130, accompanied by a single
assistant and a large personal-security detail. He
was met at MAF by Ninewa Governor Kashmoula and
ranking Ninewa security forces leadership, including
Mosul Police Chief MG Wathiq, Iraqi Army Second
Division Commander MG Jamal, and Iraqi Army Third
Division Commander MG Khorsheed. Immediately after
his arrival Maliki and the welcoming party went by
road to Provincial Hall in Mosul. PRT Team Leader
Knight joined this meeting and the PM's calls, but
no other non-Iraqi representatives attended.



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Here to talk . . .


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4. (SBU) After a brief welcoming call with Ninewa
Governor Kashmoula in his office joined by leading
Provincial Council members and Directors General of
GOI offices in Mosul, Maliki opened the general
meeting with a brief statement emphasizing that he
had come to Mosul and Ninewa Province seeking
feedback on urgent concerns of the provincial
government and the people of the province. He
underscored the crucial necessity for unity among
all Iraqis, and repeatedly emphasized in both his
opening statement and responses to individual
queries that all Iraqis are equal, and that the days
of special treatment on ethnic or sectarian bases or
special treatment for certain areas are over. He
also stressed the importance of economic advancement
in Ninewa and elsewhere in Iraq, pointing to the
need to eliminate corruption and end violence.



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. . . and listen


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5. (SBU) After brief opening remarks by the
Governor and Provincial Council Chair, Maliki then
spent nearly two hours listening to comments and
fielding queries from the assembled group. Issues
brought up by participants included:

-- The sound relationship between Governor's office
and Ninewa's Provincial Council;
-- security improvements in Mosul and Tal'Afar;
-- ongoing fuel shortages (brought up several
times), black marketeering of fuels, and plans to
upgrade fuel refinery capacity;
-- USD 37 mn promised by the GOI for Tal'Afar
reconstruction but so far unspent;
-- water shortages, especially in Mosul;
-- the schedule for new provincial elections;
-- composition of security forces in Ninewa; (esp.
Kurd predominance in Iraqi Army units); and
-- ongoing anti-GOI and anti-Coalition agitation at
Mosul University.



6. (SBU) Maliki listed patiently and with evident
interest to all speakers. He made no specific
promises to address these problems, but committed

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bring them to the direct attention of the Ministry
of Interior, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of
Industry and Minerals, Ministry of Immigration and
Displacement, Ministry of Higher Education, and the
Public Integrity Commission as appropriate. (Note:
the issues brought to Maliki's attention are
frequently aired to PRT members by our Iraqi
interlocutors; there were no surprises at this
meeting. End note.)



7. (C) At tea with the Governor and other ranking
officials immediately before returning to MAF for
his flight back to Baghdad, Maliki pointed out to
the Governor that his reconciliation plan does not
mean amnesty for terrorists and others who have
committed or supported violence. He promised
Kashmoula that such individuals should and will be
punished.



8. (C) Comment: PM Maliki's visit was very much as
anticipated -- an occasion to demonstrate his
interest and concern for Ninewa, and to show his
flag in a Sunni area outside Baghdad. Atmospherics
at Maliki's encounter with Provincial leader were
gratifying, especially from the PRT's standpoint:
This was a purely Iraqi event that effectively
demonstrated sound principles of good governance and
transparency in a lively, participatory venue.
During the general meeting Maliki was seated at a
dais facing his audience, positioned between the
Governor and the Chair of the Provincial Council,
with the Vice Chair of the Provincial Council to the
Governor's left. Despite the often bitter rivalry
between Governor Kashmoula and Provincial Council
Chair Issa -- and the Governor's occasionally
dismissive view of the Council -- at this encounter
the Governor emphasized to Maliki that he and the
Council work well together, 'despite some
differences'.



9. (C) Comment continued: Tal'Afar Mayor Najim
attended this meeting, primarily to air his
frustration with lack of movement on Tal'Afar's
promised GOI reconstruction funds. Mayor Najim
pointedly observed to Maliki that no projects
planned for these funds have in fact been started in
Tal'Afar. The USD 37 mn in question includes about
USD 16 mn in funds for 18 projects for which the
contracting process is nominally underway; a second
tranche of roughly USD 11 mn is presumably being
held until the initial tranche of 16 mn is fully
obligated. At the Provincial level these funds are
managed by Ministry of Industry and Minerals
representatives in Mosul, none of whom the PRT has
been able to contact for several weeks. Tracking
these funds has been complicated by changes in
responsible individuals since the change of
government in Baghdad; it appears likely that the
most effective venue to regain momentum on Tal'Afar
reconstruction will be the Ministry of Industry and
Minerals in Baghdad. In the interim, the PRT's IRMO
Provincial Project Manager and our Reconstruction
team will continue our efforts to engage officials
in Ninewa responsible for disbursing these funds.
End comment.
KHALILZAD