SULAIMANIYAH GOVERNOR ON REGIONAL ISSUES, PESHMERGA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004680

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINS EAID IZ
SUBJECT: SULAIMANIYAH GOVERNOR ON REGIONAL ISSUES, PESHMERGA

Classified By: RRT Leader James Yellin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

This is a Kurdistan Regional Reconstruction Team (RRT) cable.


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a meeting with RRToff, the Governor of
Sulaimaniyah Province contrasted continued Arab Shia and
Sunni fighting with the Kurdistan Region,s stability and
unity. The Governor opposed dissolution of the Peshmerga.
He noted that due to the efficiency of the Asayish (secret
police) in the Kurdistan Region, there are no terrorist
groups in Sulaimaniyah province. Issues of concern to the
Governor include internal migration to Sulaimaniyah from the
rest of Iraq since 2003 and the future of unregistered
workers who may burden the local economy. The Governor
claims the Coalition assistance to the Kurdistan Region short
changes Sulaimaniyah in favor of Erbil. END SUMMARY.

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BALANCE OF POWER
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2. (C) RRTOff met with Dana Ahmad Majeed, Governor of
Sulaimaniyah, Jutyar Jaff, Deputy Governor of Sulaimaniyah,
Sarkawt Hassan Jalal, Security Director of Sulaimaniyah, and
Hewa Jaff, Public and Foreign Relations, in Sulaimaniyah on
December 6. The Governor told RRTOff that he predicts the
Arab Shia and Sunni in Iraq will remain at war because
neither one dominates. If the Kurds ever take a side, he
said, they would tip the balance. He observed that in
contrast to the Arabs, the Kurdish people are united, despite
infighting between the PUK and KDP leadership. However, the
leadership of both parties is cooperating to sustain Kurdish
unity and stability, he claimed. In contrast, the Governor
noted the Iraqi Arabs remain divided on their political
future.


4. (C) Comment: The present relative peace and stability in
the Kurdistan Region notwithstanding, the people and the
politicians there still see themselves as having significant
competing interests along party and provincial lines. The
KDP and the PUK have engaged in armed conflict in the past,
and there is no assurance the two parties will cooperate in
the future to uphold a unified leadership. End Comment.

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PESHMERGA
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5. (C) A former Peshmerga himself and head of security for
PUK, the Governor emphatically told RRTOff: &No one will
dissolve the Peshmerga,8 explicitly including Prime Minister
Nechirvan Barzani. They are an excellent border control
force, he added. He said the 100,000 Peshmerga are part of
the Iraqi army, and could be deployed to other provinces and
even abroad. (Comment: Although the Peshmerga units that
have joined the Iraqi Army are always carefully called
former Peshmerga,, it was clear the Governor considers
them to remain active Peshmerga. RRT estimates that the
loyalty of these Peshmerga remains more to region and party
than to the central government.)

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ROLE OF ASAYISH
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6. (C) Regarding security of the Iranian border, the Governor
said the Kurdistan Region secret police (Asayish) has a
crucial role in collecting intelligence on both sides of the
Kurdistan Region-Iranian border. Kurdish villagers cooperate
closely with Asayish to identify mala fide travelers. When
queried about the possibility of terrorists, such as Ansar
Al-Islam members, crossing the border, the Governor denied
there were any active or dormant Ansar Al-Islam cells in
Sulaimaniyah. The Governor himself founded the academy
dedicated to training the Asayish; its first graduating class
of 147 members recently finished a nine-month program.

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CONCERNS OVER INTERNAL MIGRATION
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7. (C) The Governor said that a recent report on internal
migration from the rest of Iraq to Sulaimaniyah showed an
influx of 2,227 families. Most were Arab and Kurdish Sunnis
from Baghdad. The Governor noted that the report details the
family members according to geographical, ethnic, and
religious origin; he expressed surprise at seeing three
Jewish families in Sulaimaniyah Province. The Governor
expressed concerns about support for internally displaced
persons who are unemployed, and especially their children.
He expressed similar concern about 15,000 unregistered

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workers (Arab Iraqis and Arab foreign nationals) who may be
placed in a camp in Sulaimaniyah to undergo registration.
The provincial government has set up a committee to decide on
the specifics of the camp.

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CORRUPTION WITH NGOS
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7. (C) The Governor supports greater control over
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Sulaimaniyah. He
stated, &We have 183 NGOs in Sulaimaniyah and they do
nothing.8 He said the previous Governor (Aso Shekh Noory)
supported the NGOs, and paid them every three months, even
when no activity or progress was made on projects. The
Governor contended, &NGOs are part of the corruption.8 He
said his office cut funding for most NGOs, but has been
supportive of certain initiatives, including for students,
the disabled, and the youth. (Comment: Dana Ahmad Majeed,s
remarks on corruption in the NGO sector are in part motivated
by internal PUK politics. He belongs to PUK,s reform
faction that lost to President Talabani,s old guard in the
recent PUK elections. Hero Talabani, wife of President
Talabani, is a major player in organizing NGO activity in
Sulaimaniyah.)

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CALL FOR MORE ASSISTANCE
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8. (C) The Governor claimed that Coalition assistance
favored Erbil to the detriment of the other KRG provinces and
said little had been done for Sulaimaniyah regarding
infrastructure projects and promoting foreign investment.
The Governor complained that Sulaimaniyah local officials
were not consulted when the RRT structure was favored in lieu
of three separate PRTs for the Kurdistan Region.


9. (C) RRTOff replied the RRT offices are located in Erbil
but that its mission spans all three provinces of the
Kurdistan Region. RRTOff added that the RRT encourages U.S.
investment in the Kurdistan Region, and that IZDIHAR, a USAID
contractor, is compiling a complete list of state owned
enterprises in the Kurdistan Region that includes basic
company information to inform American investors. RRTOff
noted that local entrepreneurs should consider partnerships
with U.S. companies as well, although the investment law
allows total foreign ownership.


10. (C) COMMENT: Irrespective of party politics, KRG
officials claim that the Kurdistan Region does not get enough
assistance compared to the rest of Iraq. Moreover, the PUK,
which controls Sulaimaniyah Province, claims that the
KDP-controlled provinces of Erbil and Dahuk get a
disproportionate amount of the assistance that goes to
Kurdistan.

KHALILZAD