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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003297 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2011 TAGS: PGOV ECON MARR IZ SUBJECT: NINEWA: PM MALIKI'S VISIT TO MOSUL 4 SEP 06 Classified By: NINEWA PRT Leader James Knight: Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). This is a Ninewa Provincial Team (PRT) message. -------------- Summary -------------- ¶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. -------------- Here to talk . . . -------------- ¶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. -------------- . . . and listen -------------- ¶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 BAGHDAD 00003297 002 OF 002 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