BAGHDAD SECURITY PLAN EXECUTIVE STEERING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 002463

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2017
TAGS: ECON IZ MOPS PGOV
SUBJECT: BAGHDAD SECURITY PLAN EXECUTIVE STEERING
COMMITTEE, JULY 13

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Patricia Butenis for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: On July 13, in the absence of Prime
Minister Nuri al-Maliki, National Security Advisor Dr.
Mowafaq Rubaie chaired the Baghdad Security Plan (Fardh al
Qanoon - FAQ) Executive Steering Committee (I-ESC). Key
issues discussed included the preparation of new Government
of Iraq (GOI) Personal Security Detail (PSD) Regulations, the
improvement of Baghdad's fuel supply, and media coverage of
FAQ. The meeting was hampered by PM Maliki's absence and was
a step backwards in efficiency compared to other I-ESC
meetings in recent weeks. End Summary.

Setting a Uniform Policy for GOI Personal Security Details
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2. (C) National Security Advisor Rubaie congratulated his
staff for their work during the week in combining the three
previous, and never enforced, sets of GOI PSD regulations
into a cohesive set of rules that are ready for approval.
(Note: The previous regulations appear to be from: the Iraqi
Interim Government under PM Allawi; the Ministry of Defense;
and the Ministry of Interior. End Note.). I-ESC members
agreed that it was good work, but moved that the new
regulations should be voted upon within the Ministerial
Council of National Security (MCNS) next week. (Comment: Our
PSD procedures are reportedly justified under Coalition
Provisional Authority-era guidelines, which elements of the
GOI reportedly resent. If universally enforced in Iraq,
these new regulations could also potentially significantly
impact US Personal Security Details in Iraq. As such, the
Embassy, with MNFI, will track this issue through the MCNS.
End Comment).

Regulating and Securing Chlorine Shipments
--------------

3. (C) NSA Rubaie urged the I-ESC to begin a process to move
away from an ad hoc approach to a set of uniform procedures
for the importation, distribution, and securing of chlorine
supplies. Deputy NSA Safah stated that there is currently no
lack of chlorine in Baghdad, but he highlighted alleged
practices of Jordanian businessmen selling chlorine to known
Al Qaeda groups and that proper importation documents were
not always enforced. The Governor of Baghdad suggested that
all chlorine should be imported into Iraq through the South
to reduce security concerns. I-ESC members moved that this
issue should be taken up in the MCNS.

Improving Baghdad's Fuel Supply
--------------

4. (C) Minister of Oil Husayn Shahristani stated that the
fuel crisis in Baghdad had gone down in the past week, but
that he could not guarantee sufficient fuel supplies to the
city. He said that the new battalion to protect convoys
coming to the Doura refinery is under formation and has
recently been assigned 10 Humvees, but the battalion will
take time until it is completely ready. Until that time, Dr.
Shahristani stated that he has forbidden the battalion from
being stationed within the Doura refinery compound until they
have become fully operational. This battalion has begun
performing convoy operations from Kirkuk to Doura.
Shahristani indicated that fuel convoys from Bayji to Doura
have been suspended because even with the additional
to-be-formed battalion, the route is too insecure.


5. (C) In response to a question from Popular Mobilization
committee chair Ahmed Chalabi about "what is the strategic
plan of the Oil Ministry to improve the situation,"
Shahristani stated that his ministry is engaged in several
efforts to build, improve and repair pipelines including
those that were poorly built by Russian contractors during
the Saddam era. Shahristani stated that these efforts would
take time and that it was imperative that the Ministry of
Defense provide necessary security measures when tasked by
the Infrastructure Protection Committee.


6. (C) Both Minister of Defense Jassim al-Mufriji and FAQ
Commander General Aboud indicated that it would be difficult
in practice to take security taskings quickly from the
Infrastructure Protection Committee because their forces are
stretched thin with ongoing FAQ operations. General Aboud
highlighted that it takes at least 72 hours to plan any new
operations. The defense minister stated that his existing
forces are already working side by side with the MNF-I on a
variety of existing pipeline security operations, but that
protecting such vast distances from attack is very difficult.
The issue is to be further discussed at the MCNS.

Tanker Fuel Dispute with Kuwait Update
--------------

7. (C) Oil Minister Shahristani stated that the contract to
settle the legal dispute with a private Kuwaiti fuel supply

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company has been sent to the company's legal department and
should be finalized soon. $9.9 million of the payment will
come from the Reserve Fund of the Ministry of Finance. $2.4
million will come from the Ministry of Oil. Although the GOI
is making the payment, Shahristani stated that "we have found
documents that prove that it is the Kuwaitis who closed the
border," and thereby caused the fuel convoys to be held up
and fees to accrue.

Enacting Rehabilitation of Unused Government Owned Buildings
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8. (C) NSA Rubaie stated that the Office of Deputy Prime
Minister Zoubai be given oversight authority on the lagging
rehabilitation of unused Ministry buildings in central
Baghdad. The Secretary of the Council of Ministers, present
at the I-ESC for the first time in more than 5 weeks,
disagreed strongly with this proposal, stating that the
Council of Ministers is the authoritative body for the issue
and has the situation well in hand. Both the NSA and Deputy
NSA stated that leaving the matter with the Council of
Ministers will take too long. General Aboud again stated the
key issue is not whether the buildings are in use or
aesthetically pleasing, but that they are secured from use by
terrorists and criminals. (Comment. Given the absence of PM
Maliki, the issue was left unresolved and de facto remains
under the guidance of each individual ministry through the
Council of Ministers. It is Post's preference that DPM
Zoubai be given oversight. Post is working with the I-ESC
Secretariat at the NSA Office to make a monthly progress

SIPDIS
listing of the GOI-determined 19 priority buildings to
provide some accountability through the I-ESC. End Comment.)

Discussion on Media Activities
--------------

9. (U) Next week marks the 5th month of FAQ. Communications
Committee Chair Yaseen Majeed provided a list of suggested
upcoming media activities to mark the event and the successes
of FAQ. General Aboud complained about the Arab media not
showing progress in Baghdad and commented that he travels to
all areas of Baghdad daily and that life in 75% of the city
is "regular," noting how cafs that used to close at dark now
have patrons until 1 am. Other upcoming media events
proposed by Majeed include:
-- A special media campaign highlighting the successes.
-- A special program focusing on improvements in Ameriyah
district.
-- An announcement concerning the successful removal of
illegal concrete barriers from roads along Abu Nawas Street.
-- Appointing a special poet to give a speech about Abu Nawas
Street as a means of announcing a proposed future festival
and parade there.


10. (C) Majeed stated that the media is only covering MNF-I
security activities, and this is giving the Iraqi public the
view that their own Iraqi Security Forces are doing nothing.
UK Lt. General Lamb, attending the I-ESC in the absence of
General Petraeus, countered Majeed's assertion that the MNF-I
was refusing to allow Iraqi and Arab media to be embedded
with Iraqi Security Forces by stating that such activities
would be welcome. NSA Rubaie instructed Majeed to coordinate
such activities with Admiral Fox, Strategic Effects Deputy
DCS for Communications.


11. (C) Dr. Chalabi briefed the I-ESC on the results of the
interim July 15 US Congressional Benchmark report and stated
that the assessment was essentially fair. He stated that it
was likely that the international press would be asking for
GOI reaction in coming days, and urged the creation and
dissemination of a unified response.


12. (C) Majeed and Shahristani highlighted the recent
increase in International Zone mortar attacks as contributing
to a negative public view of the ability of the GOI to
improve security in Baghdad. General Lamb responded that the
MNF-I is continuously undertaking multi-faceted actions to
thwart such attacks and noted that countermeasures are
sometimes inhibited by rules of engagement in civilian areas.

Comment on Security Situation for New FAQ Civilian Spokesman
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13. (C) Comment. Post continues to view Yaseen Majeed as
ineffective and problematic and hopes to utilize the new FAQ
Civilian Spokesman Dr. Sheekly to deliver key media messages
to the greatest extent possible. Sheekly, a Sunni living in
a heavily Shia neighborhood, has made several useful public
press appearances in the past few weeks, but has yet to
receive expected personal security protection from the GOI;
this is in part because his position is independent and has
no allocated budget. In the last week, Post has taken a
variety of efforts through DPM Zoubai's Office and the NSA to
get the GOI to provide Sheekly with protection. Post is
continuing these efforts. End Comment.

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