MNF-I RENEWAL: STATE OF PLAY IN NEW YORK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 002126 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/I, IO/UNP AND S/I E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC IZ PINS SUBJECT: MNF-I RENEWAL: STATE OF PLAY IN NEW YORK Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOHN BOLTON, FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D ¶1. (C) Summary: Discussions regarding a renewal of UNSCR 1637, which authorizes the MNF-I and the International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB),are beginning in New York. Informal soundings of P-5 members indicate they remain willing to support a renewal resolution in response to a specific Iraqi request for an extension of these authorities. In a meeting with Amb Sanders November 3, Iraqi DPR Faisal al-Estrabadi cited as authoritative Foreign Minister Zebari's recent statements that the government of Iraq supports an extension of the MNF-I mandate. He attributed the delay in receiving an official Iraqi request to a desire by the Council of Representatives to be involved in the decision, as well as the ongoing US/UK dialogue with the GOI in Baghdad on the modalities of control over Iraqi Security Forces. Noting that in 2005 the Iraqi mission had circulated its letter of request to members of the Security Council on October 31 and that the renewal resolution passed November 11 last year, Amb Sanders said we are already behind schedule and urged Estrabadi to convey to Baghdad that additional delay in submitting the request in New York could open the door to mischief. She also recommended that Estrabadi advise the GOI to delink the request to the Security Council for the MNF-I extension from the negotiations in Baghdad on security arrangements. Finally, Amb Sanders encouraged Estrabadi to make clear to all Security Council delegations and NY missions of coalition governments the support of the GOI for renewal of the MNF-I mandate. End Summary. ¶2. (C) USUN has consulted with the mission of Iraq, the UK mission in New York, and other Security Council delegations about the prospects for renewal of UNSCR 1637, which authorizes the MNF-I and the IAMB. To date, no delegation has raised concerns about or objections to renewal, although support for renewal will be predicated on an explicit Iraqi request for an extension of the MNF-I and IAMB mandates. The Russians have suggested to the Iraqi mission that they may seek to introduce language on security for foreign missions and the need for national reconciliation. ¶3. (C) Scheduling: In preparing a draft agenda for the month of December, when it will hold the presidency of the Security Council, the delegation of Qatar informed USUN that it had tentatively scheduled the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution renewing the mandate of MNF-I and IAMB on December 7. USUN agreed in principle, but informed the Qatari delegation that our timeline is tied to the receipt of the letter of request from Baghdad. ¶4. (C) Informal Council views: Poloff informally polled several members of the Security Council during the last week of October to seek their views on the upcoming renewal. The French, Russian and Chinese delegations each confirmed there had been no change in their previously stated position: they did not intend to "be difficult" and would likely support a technical rollover to the MNF-I and IAMB mandates, provided that the government of Iraq specifically requested their extension. Additional polling of several non-permanent members of the Security Council (Denmark, Japan, Argentina) revealed the same attitude: there are no current expectations that renewal will be controversial. USUN also compared notes with the UK mission in New York. The UK mission shared its assessment: currently, there are no indications that any delegation will object to renewal of the MNF-I/IAMB mandates. One UK expert speculated that several delegations may propose language on the political process, including language on the issues of reconciliation and human rights, but assessed there would be no challenge to the resolution's extension of authorities. A second British expert reported that, overall, "London is not worried." ¶5. (C) Iraqi Mission views: Amb Bolton spoke with Iraqi Deputy PermRep Faisal al-Estrabadi on October 30, and queried him regarding MNF-I renewal discussions in Baghdad. Estrabadi said progress was being held up by "intragovernmental disputes." Amb Bolton asked that Estrabadi convey to Baghdad the importance of a timely letter USUN NEW Y 00002126 002 OF 002 from Iraq to the Security Council formally requesting an extension of the MNF-I/IAMB mandates. Amb Sanders reinforced this message November 3 during a meeting with Estrabadi. Noting that the Iraqi mission circulated last year,s letter of request on October 31, Amb Sanders warned that significant delay might lead to difficulty in negotiating the renewal resolution and invite troublemaking. Estrabadi attributed the delay in receiving the official request to "intra-governmental disputes," and explained that the Council of Representatives may seek a role in the decision. He also referred to talks in Baghdad on security issues. In response, Amb Sanders recommended that he advise the GOI to de-link the request to the Security Council to renew the MNF-I/IAMB mandates from the current discussions in Baghdad between Iraq and the US/UK on the disposition of forces. Estrabadi agreed and said he would raise these points, formally and informally, with Baghdad. He also responded positively to her suggestion that the Iraqi mission begin reaching out to all fifteen members of the Security Council and to missions of coalition governments in order to clearly convey Iraqi support for an extension of the mandates. ¶6. (C) Russian Proposals: Estrabadi told Amb Sanders that he had spoken recently with the Russians, French, and Chinese and each of these delegations had said they are likely to support renewal. Estrabadi recalled that when the Russian and Iraqi delegations met at the Foreign Minister level during the General Debate that the Russians said they may seek language on the protection of diplomatic missions in Iraq. Estrabadi had understood the Russians to mean that the Russians wanted language about GOI responsibility for diplomatic missions. Amb Sanders made clear that the USG would be unwilling to accept language that suggested the MNF-I had responsibility for the security of diplomatic missions. (Note: Russia has previously sought language demanding foreign forces accept responsibility for the protection of diplomatic missions in other negotiations on Security Council text related to Iraq and Afghanistan and most recently in a generic General Assembly resolution on foreign missions. End note.) Estrabadi then described a recent meeting with Russian DPR Dolgov, who suggested that Russia might propose language on the need for national reconciliation. Estrabadi said he pushed back with Dolgov, noting that Lavrov had not raised this subject with Zebari. Estrabadi opined that no one opposed national reconciliation, and admitted that he had feared Russia or France would revive last year's interest in language on a timeline for withdrawal. ¶7. (C) Comment: Barring unforeseen developments or further significant delay in receiving the letter from Baghdad, USUN judges that, at this moment, there are no outstanding barriers to securing adoption of a resolution renewing MNF-I/IAMB mandates. However, despite the indications of support from the P-5, Qatar, the Europeans, Japan, and the African members who have no direct stake in the matter, we are already behind last year,s schedule, a concern in and of itself. Until the Iraqi request for renewal is received, we are not in a position to move this forward in New York. End comment. BOLTON