BUILDING ON SHARM: WORKING GROUPS HAVE LITTLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001894 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2017 TAGS: IZ KDEM PGOV PREL SUBJECT: BUILDING ON SHARM: WORKING GROUPS HAVE LITTLE TRACTION; IRAQI FM CONTINUES TO PUSH REF: A. BAGHDAD 1620 ¶B. BAGHDAD 1793 ¶C. BAGHDAD 2192 Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The Working Groups formalized during the May 4 Sharm el-Sheikh Conference have moved forward slowly in the past month, despite GOI efforts to organize themselves (Ref A). The status of the three working groups is as follows: -- ENERGY: Turkey responded to a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) with an offer to host the first meeting of the fuel and energy working group June 14- 15 (Ref B). Foreign Minister Zebari told the DCM June 7 that the GOI confirmed a June 14 meeting. In a June 4 meeting, the Ambassador told Zebari that during his recent visit, Turkish MFA Iraq Envoy Oguz Celikkol proposed a trilateral energy meeting between the US, Turkey, and Iraq following the first working group meeting (Ref C). The Ambassador conveyed USG willingness to participate; Zebari was receptive to the suggestion. When asked about an Egyptian idea that Russia host a meeting on fuel and energy, Zebari replied that he will not respond until after the working group meeting in Turkey concludes and the process has time to produce results. --BORDERS: Zebari told the Ambassador on June 4 that Syria wants to host the border and security meeting, but noted the continued detention of two Syrian security border guards apprehended for illegal entry into Iraq. Zebari noted that the Syrians continue to raise this issue at every opportunity. On June 7, Zebari told the DCM that this issue is "manageable" and can be resolved quickly, with no formal "linkage" being made to hosting the working group. --REFUGEES: Jordan has not yet responded to a letter the GOI sent following the May 4 Sharm el-Sheikh conference, asking Jordan to host the refugee meeting. Zebari will travel through Jordan on June 9 on his way to New York and intends to discuss the matter further. ¶2. (C) Zebari agreed that pressure to move the working groups forward needs to be applied, but wanted to give more time for his discussion with Jordan and Syria to bear fruit before considering any alternatives. During a June 4 meeting with the Ambassador, Zebari confirmed he has discussed the working groups with Ashruf Qazi, the Special Representative to the Secretary General (SRSG) for the United Nations Assistance SIPDIS Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and noted that Iraq's delegations to the working groups continue to meet. ¶3. (C) Comment. The working groups have failed to gain traction in part because Zebari was outside of Iraq for most of the past month. With Zebari again focused on the working groups, lost momentum can be regained. However, the first meetings will occur later in June than originally anticipated. End Comment. CROCKER