DEPUTY FM ON WORKING GROUPS: PARTICIPANTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001620

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: DEPUTY FM ON WORKING GROUPS: PARTICIPANTS
SELECTED, JORDAN, SYRIA AND TURKEY ASKED TO HOST FIRST
MEETING

Classified By: Political Counselor Margaret Scobey for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).


1. (C) Summary. In a May 14 meeting with PolCouns, Deputy
Foreign Minister Labeed Abbawi updated on the status of
working groups discussed at the March 10 Neighbors Conference
and formalized at the May 4 Ministerial conference in Sharm
el-Sheikh. The working groups will focus on border and
security issues; fuel and energy imports; and Iraqi refugees.
Iraq and the UN will lead the meetings while Iraq's
neighbors as well as a few additional organizations will
participate in the first meetings tentatively scheduled to
occur between June 5th and June 15th in Jordan, Syria and
Turkey. While these first meetings will be limited to
neighbors only and a couple of limited exceptions, Abbawi
left open the possibility that technical experts from other
countries may attend future meetings. End Summary.

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MFA OUTLINES PARTICIPANTS AND DATES FOR FIRST MEETINGS
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2. (C) Abbawi said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has
moved forward with the working groups by sending letters to
Jordan, Syria and Turkey asking them to host the first
meetings on refugees, security and energy respectively. The
letters emphasized GOI preference that the meetings occur
between June 5th and June 15th.


3. (C) The GOI and UN will lead each group Abbawi said, with
representatives from Syria, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, the
Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC),and the United
Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) to participate in
the first meeting on refugees. The fuel and energy group
includes Syria, Kuwait, Iran, and Turkey, while the border
and security group includes representatives from Syria,
Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey and Egypt. According to
Abbawi, Turkey contacted the MFA before they had sent these
letters and volunteered to host all three working group
meetings. Turkey stated, however, that they will "leave it
the GOI to decide."


4. (C) Letters to participating countries have been drafted,
Abbawi noted. In addition to encouraging active
participation, they outline the GOI's proposals for where and
when the meetings should occur and who will be invited to
participate. Abbawi said only Iraq's neighbors will be
included in the first round of meetings, with the exception
of Egypt, the OIC and the UN, although he left open the
possibility that future meetings will "be open to others."

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DEFINING THE WAY FORWARD; DESCRIBING IRAQI PARTICIPATION
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5. (C) Abbawi requested guidance on how the committees should
function and what role they should play. "We want," he said,
"for these committees to mean something, but what will they
be able to do?" PolCouns replied that the working groups
should be seen as "problem-solving" entities. The GOI and
each member country should approach the meetings with
specific problems or concerns that the groups can then
discuss and hopefully solve. She further noted that while
some of the issues will have specific bilateral elements to
it, the GOI should not hesitate to ask for technical
expertise from other countries or groups. Abbawi reiterated
that the GOI sees a role for outside expertise, but that by
limiting the first meeting to neighbors, Egypt, the UN and
the OIC it addressed concerns raised by Syria and Iran.


6. (C) When asked about Iraq's delegation, Abbawi said the
MFA will lead each Iraqi delegation, and that each of the
groups began meeting prior to the May 4 conference. Abbawi
said he chairs the security meetings which include
representatives from the Iraqi National Intelligence Service
(INIS),the National Security Agency, Border Security and the
Ministries of Interior and Defense. Ambassador Hindawi leads
the energy group with representatives from the Ministries of
Energy and Oil, while Undersecretary for Multilateral
Relations and Legal, Administrative, and Technical Affairs
Dr. Mohammad Hammoud leads the refugee group with
participants from the Ministries of Displacement and
Migration, Human Rights and Interior.


7. (C) Comment: Embassy intends to follow up with each of
the working group leaders to coordinate agendas and topics
for each group. End Comment.
CROCKER