Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BASRAH68
2006-05-05 12:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
REO Basrah
Cable title:
BASRAH PROVINCIAL COUNCIL VOTES TO END BOYCOTTS OF BRITISH
how-toVZCZCXRO5338 OO RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS DE RUEHBC #0068 1251234 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O R 051234Z MAY 06 FM REO BASRAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0329 RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE INFO RUEHBC/REO BASRAH 0348
C O N F I D E N T I A L BASRAH 000068
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/5/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: BASRAH PROVINCIAL COUNCIL VOTES TO END BOYCOTTS OF BRITISH
AND DANES
REF: (A) BASRAH 53; (B) BASRAH 58; (C) BASRAH 59; (D) BASRAH 61
CLASSIFIED BY: Ken Gross, Regional Coordinator, REO Basrah,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BASRAH 000068
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/5/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: BASRAH PROVINCIAL COUNCIL VOTES TO END BOYCOTTS OF BRITISH
AND DANES
REF: (A) BASRAH 53; (B) BASRAH 58; (C) BASRAH 59; (D) BASRAH 61
CLASSIFIED BY: Ken Gross, Regional Coordinator, REO Basrah,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Summary: On the evening of May 3, the Basrah Provincial
Council (BPC) voted to end the boycotts of the British and the
Danes. An official statement and media event is scheduled for
Sunday, May 7, at the Provincial Council building where it is
expected that statements will be read from the British Consul
General and the Governor. The Regional Coordinator has been
invited to attend. End Summary.
2. (C) A Locally Engaged Staff (LES) member of the Basrah
Regional Embassy Office (REO) attended the evening meeting of
the BPC where the main discussion focused on whether to end the
boycotts of the British and the Danes. According to the REO
LES, Basrah Governor Muhammad al-Wa'eli and Deputy Provincial
Council Chairman Nussaif Jassim Ali were the main proponents of
ending the boycott. Some opposition was voiced by a couple of
members, but when the issue was put to a vote it passed easily.
Reftels discuss the machinations of some members of the BPC to
end the boycott.
3. (C) In meetings leading up to the BPC decision to end the
boycott, the Governor and Fadillah party members portrayed
themselves to the REO and the British Foreign Commonwealth
Office (FCO) as the brokers to solve the boycott problem. The
REO LES reported that at the BPC meeting the Governor and his
fellow Fadillah party member, Nussaif, were the most vocal in
their support to end the boycotts. (Note: The Governor has
felt pressure from Baghdad and within his own party in Baghdad
to remove the boycotts and demonstrate leadership. Reftels
discuss an on-going scheme to replace him.) With the scheduling
of a media event on May 7, the Governor now clearly wants to
capitalize on the end of the boycotts and portray himself in a
positive light.
4. (C) Comment: The vote to end the boycott came as no
surprise. The question remains whether the Governor's newfound
desire to be a problem solver rather than a troublemaker will
persuade the public and the BPC members to keep him in office.
Perhaps the phrase that best summarizes British feelings towards
the end of the boycott came from the Deputy Consul General of
the FCO. He wrote in an email to the Regional Coordinator, "So
the good news is that we're talking to them again. And the bad
news is that we have to talk to them again." End Comment.
GROSS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/5/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: BASRAH PROVINCIAL COUNCIL VOTES TO END BOYCOTTS OF BRITISH
AND DANES
REF: (A) BASRAH 53; (B) BASRAH 58; (C) BASRAH 59; (D) BASRAH 61
CLASSIFIED BY: Ken Gross, Regional Coordinator, REO Basrah,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Summary: On the evening of May 3, the Basrah Provincial
Council (BPC) voted to end the boycotts of the British and the
Danes. An official statement and media event is scheduled for
Sunday, May 7, at the Provincial Council building where it is
expected that statements will be read from the British Consul
General and the Governor. The Regional Coordinator has been
invited to attend. End Summary.
2. (C) A Locally Engaged Staff (LES) member of the Basrah
Regional Embassy Office (REO) attended the evening meeting of
the BPC where the main discussion focused on whether to end the
boycotts of the British and the Danes. According to the REO
LES, Basrah Governor Muhammad al-Wa'eli and Deputy Provincial
Council Chairman Nussaif Jassim Ali were the main proponents of
ending the boycott. Some opposition was voiced by a couple of
members, but when the issue was put to a vote it passed easily.
Reftels discuss the machinations of some members of the BPC to
end the boycott.
3. (C) In meetings leading up to the BPC decision to end the
boycott, the Governor and Fadillah party members portrayed
themselves to the REO and the British Foreign Commonwealth
Office (FCO) as the brokers to solve the boycott problem. The
REO LES reported that at the BPC meeting the Governor and his
fellow Fadillah party member, Nussaif, were the most vocal in
their support to end the boycotts. (Note: The Governor has
felt pressure from Baghdad and within his own party in Baghdad
to remove the boycotts and demonstrate leadership. Reftels
discuss an on-going scheme to replace him.) With the scheduling
of a media event on May 7, the Governor now clearly wants to
capitalize on the end of the boycotts and portray himself in a
positive light.
4. (C) Comment: The vote to end the boycott came as no
surprise. The question remains whether the Governor's newfound
desire to be a problem solver rather than a troublemaker will
persuade the public and the BPC members to keep him in office.
Perhaps the phrase that best summarizes British feelings towards
the end of the boycott came from the Deputy Consul General of
the FCO. He wrote in an email to the Regional Coordinator, "So
the good news is that we're talking to them again. And the bad
news is that we have to talk to them again." End Comment.
GROSS