IRAQI AMBASSADOR VISITS KOREA, URGES ECONOMIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001231

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2021
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID JA KR IQ
SUBJECT: IRAQI AMBASSADOR VISITS KOREA, URGES ECONOMIC
ASSISTANCE


Classified By: DCM Joe Donovan for Reasons 1.4 b/d


1. (C) Summary. Iraqi Ambassador to Japan, Al-Jumaily,
visited Seoul February 22-25 to express appreciation for and
encourage further support in reconstruction, discuss future
Korean military engagement, and notify MOFAT of Iraq's
intention to reopen its embassy in Seoul. As he has done in
Japan, Al-Jumaily stressed the importance of economic
reconstruction to coincide with security assistance. End
Summary.


2. (C) Iraqi Ambassador to Japan Ghanim Al-Jumaily visited
Seoul February 22-24, at the request of Foreign Minister
Zebari. According to Ambassador Al-Jumaily, the purpose of
the visit was to: 1) show appreciation for Korea's support in
reconstruction; 2) engage in dialogue as Korea considers its
future military engagement; 3) encourage Korean involvement
in Iraq's economic reconstruction; and 4) get the ball
rolling for opening an Iraqi embassy in Seoul. Al-Jumaily,
an Amcit and former NASA scientist, told Poloff on March 6
the visit was "very productive."


3. (C) In terms of Korean troops, Al-Jumaily reported that
First Vice Minister Yu Myung-hwan promised "Korea will remain
in Iraq as long as Iraq needs Korea." Despite the Korean
parliament extending the mission for only one year, Yu told
Al-Jumaily "Our commitment is going to continue." Yu also
told him that South Korea intends to participate in the
Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) to which the U.S.
invited it, although Al-Jumaily could not remember the
proposed location. Al-Jumaily thanked Yu and said Yu's
comments were what he was hoping to hear, however he also
wanted to encourage Seoul to become more actively involved in
the economic side of the reconstruction process. (Note:
Al-Jumaily has been making the same appeal to Japanese
officials for several months, saying he expresses
appreciation for the Self-Defense Forces mission, but that
now he describes the top three things Iraq needs from Japan
as: "economics, economics and economics." End Note.) Yu
replied that Korea's travel ban to Iraq restricts what Korean
businesses can do, but added the ban is "under review" and
that Seoul is now studying ways to get more actively involved
in economic reconstruction.


4. (C) In his meeting with Ministry of Construction &
Transportation Assistant Minister Seo Jong-dai, Al-Jumaily
pressed for Korean companies to get involved in
reconstruction. One idea Al-Jumaily suggested (as he has
done in Japan) was for Korean companies to form partnerships,
either with the public or private sector in Iraq, to tap into
local expertise. Al-Jumaily delivered the same plea for
engagement to the President of the Korean National Oil
Corporation, he said, and discussed possibilities for how to
implement a Memorandum of Understanding which had been signed
between KNOC and Iraq's Oil Ministry. Ambassador Al-Jumaily
also met with Ministry of Education and Human Resources
Director General Lee Byung-hyun, and urged Lee to consider
providing teacher/administrator training.


5. (C) Al-Jumaily informed Yu that Iraq intends to re-open
its embassy in Seoul, which has been closed since 1994,
before the end of the year. He told Poloff that he has been
pushing Baghdad to open the Seoul embassy as early as is
possible.
SCHIEFFER