DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON FIRST TRANSITION TO IRAQI

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000994 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CARC AND NEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2016 TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL NATO IZ AJ SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON FIRST TRANSITION TO IRAQI CONTROL REF: A. STATE 109375 ¶B. BAKU 980 Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse; reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) Ambassador delivered ref a points to Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on July 3, emphasizing that the transfer of security responsibility from the Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I) to Iraqi civilian authorities in Muthanna province represents significant progress. Mammadyarov welcomed the news and reaffirmed Azerbaijan's long-standing commitment to keep troops in Iraq as long as they are needed. He added that Azerbaijan follows events in Iraq closely not just because it is a member of the Coalition, but because it genuinely wants to see Iraq succeed. As chair of the OIC Foreign Ministers Conference, Mammadyarov said he was leading efforts to get the OIC more engaged in lending support to the Government of Iraq, and hoped to present a more detailed plan for consideration at the OIC Ministerial during the UN General Assembly. (Full report on Mammadyarov's goals for the OIC in Iraq and request for guidance in ref b.) DERSE