READOUT OF CENTCOM,S IRAQ CONFERENCE IN WARSAW 3-5

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 002323

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2016
TAGS: MARR MOPS IZ PL
SUBJECT: READOUT OF CENTCOM,S IRAQ CONFERENCE IN WARSAW 3-5
OCTOBER 2006-10-16

REF: STATE 155973

Classified By: Polcouns Mary T. Curtin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) SUMMARY. CENTCOM,s Coalition conference in Warsaw
3-5 Oct 2006 successfully gathered both military and civilian
participants from current and prospective Coalition countries
to provide an overview of Coalition planning for the next
12-18 months. All presentations and some keynote speeches
from the conference can be viewed or downloaded from
CENTOM,s conference website at http://hqs
web03.centcom.smil.mil/CCJ5/J5CCC/MNFI Conference/index.asp.
(please note there is an underscore character " " between
"MNFI" and "Conference" in this URL) The conference provided
an opportunity for Senior Advisor to the Secretary and
Coordinator for Iraq, Ambassador Satterfield, to hold
bilateral meetings with select Coalition partners. END
SUMMARY.


2. (U) Per reftel, an Iraq Coalition Conference was held in
Warsaw, Poland 3-5 October, 2006, sponsored by CDRUSCENTCOM.
Invitees included military representatives and civilian
political representatives from Coalition partners and
prospective partners. The conference theme was Ma'an ila
Al-Aman (Together Forward) and was a successful demonstration
of Coalition solidarity for success in Iraq; the presence of
senior USG leaders such as Generals Casey, Abizaid, and Amb.
Satterfield achieved the desired effect of validating the
importance of Iraq to our collective security. Coalition
partners, civilian representation was less than desired by
the organizers.


3. (C) The surprisingly few questions that participants asked
keynote speakers dealt with security transition
responsibilities (from Coalition forces to Iraqi Forces) and
general inquiries on current Provincial Reconstruction Team
(PRT) efforts.


4. (U) Amb. Satterfield,s bilateral meetings are reported in
this cable. (Other bilaterals conducted by the Secretary of
Defense's Senior Counselor for Coalition Affairs, Ms. Debra
Cagan are being reported septel.)

TURKEY: PKK, GOT Engagement of Gulf States


5. (C) In reference to recent comments by Iraqi President
Jalal Talabani about neighbors, interference in Iraq, Amb.
Satterfield reassured Turkey,s Special Envoy for Iraq Amb.
Oguz Celikkol that the USG rejects the comparison of Turkey
with Iran. Amb. Satterfield reiterated USG positions on PKK
and noted that PUK and KDP may be coming to recognize that it
is not the right time to force the issue of Kirkuk. Celikkol
agreed that postponement of a resolution may be a good step
and asked if Barzani,s view of the issue had changed; Amb.
Satterfield suggested he would know better Barzani,s latest
views in a week or so.


6. (C) Amb. Satterfield noted that USG stressed to Tareq
al-Hashemi that Sunnis hurt themselves by not speaking with
one voice; when they complain they need to follow up with
alternative proposals. The USG supports PM Maliki, despite
rumors of coups or alternative governance arrangements, and
will not allow a coup to take place. Amb. Celikkol offered
to lobby Saudi Arabia and the UAE to reinforce these points
with Iraqis such as Sadan Mutlaq; Amb. Satterfield welcomed
regional engagement to shape Iraqi Sunni views in a
constructive fashion. Amb. Cellikol also mentioned that
Turkey intends to convoke a meeting of regional intelligence
chiefs; Amb. Satterfield agreed to consult Amb. Khalilzad on
the best timing for such a move.

POLAND: Outlook for 2007


7. (C) Amb. Satterfield thanked Polish MFA,s Witold
Waszczykowski for Poland,s assistance to Iraq, and
reiterated the USG,s desire for a continued Polish military
presence throughout 2007 to accomplish tasks such as
assisting the Iraqi 8th Army,s taking the lead. Echoing a
theme from his keynote speech and repeated throughout the
conference, Amb. Satterfield emphasized that military action
in isolation will bring neither security nor stability, and
that Iraqis need to take action on political and economic
issues.


8. (C) Amb. Satterfield noted that the security situation was
unlikely to change through Spring 2007, and that security
transition to Provincial Iraqi Control (PIC) means lower but
not zero Coalition Forces (CF). NEA/I-PM Deputy Director
Peter Evans observed that while the transition of Muthanna

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resulted in withdrawal or redeployment of CF, transition of
Dhi Qar did not; PIC represents increased capabilities by the
Iraqis to make security decisions but the level of CF is
still conditions-based. Evans also noted that USG is not
seeking international leads for PRTs, though it may make
targeted requests for PRT contributions from countries with
needed capabilities. Waszczykowski said if Poland gets more
contracts, it might have a reason to stay in Iraq longer, but
in any case it also needs a renewed UNSC resolution and a
request to stay from Iraq. Waszczykowski noted that Poland
is beginning a Joint Commission with Iraq this year but did
not provide further details.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA: Continuing Mission in the North


9. (C) Amb. Satterfield met with ROK MG Seungjo Jung (ROK
JCS Dir for Civ Affairs) and thanked ROK for its leadership
of the Multinational Division Northeast (MND-NE),its service
in providing middle-ring security for UN personnel, and its
willingness to work with us on the Regional Reconstruction
Team (RRT) in Irbil. Amb. Satterfield provided an update on
PRTs, and touched on a broad range of security issues
including the PKK. MG Jung welcomed further discussion in
Seoul on Iraq issues at a strategic level, but also to
include operational matters such as how we,ll actually carry
out the RRT in Irbil.

EL SALVADOR: Staying the Course


10. (C) During lunch, Amb. Satterfield pulled aside El
Salvadoran BG Eduardo Mendoza (Army Chief of Staff)
specifically to thank him for El Salvador,s extension of its
mandate through February 2007, and stated we are asking Poles
to stay until the end of next year. In light of complaints
about MND-CS leadership, Amb. Satterfield noted we are aware
of Polish management issues and are working with Warsaw to
improve.

DENMARK: UNAMI Aircraft Support Status


11. (SBU) Evans asked Danish Air Force MG Henrik Dam about
the status of its preparation to fly dedicated C-130s for the
UN Assistance Mission Iraq. Echoing the frustration Dam
expressed on this same issue at the UK Partners meeting in
July, Dam said the target start date of mid-November has
slipped to at least the beginning of December due to
continuing problems in eliciting from UN,s Dept of
Peacekeeping Operations the operational information necessary
for Denmark to plan and field the mission. Specifically, the
UN has not secured agreement from Jordan or Kuwait to base
the aircraft.

MACEDONIA: Start Together, Finish Together


12. (SBU) Macedonian MFA State Secretary Igor Ilievski
expressed solidarity with the Coalition to CENTCOM,s
Director of Coalition Coordination MG Minetti, MNF-I,s
Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy, Plans and Assessment MG
Cichowski, and Evans. Ilievski emphasized that Macedonia
will remain deployed as long as the USG needs it there.
Ilievski expressed interest in PRTs if it meant Macedonia
would receive more contracts. Evans responded that
international partners with niche capabilities would be
approached on an as-needed basis to contribute to PRTs.

CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS AND LETTERS FROM IRAQ


13. (U) Countries which attended the conference were:
Albania, Armenia, Australia, Bahrain, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican
Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, France, Georgia,
Hungary, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania,
Macedonia, Mongolia, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal,
Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovak
Republic, Turkey, UAE, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the U.S.


14. (U) This cable was reviewed and approved by Amb.
Satterfield.
ASHE