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