BAGHDAD SECURITY PLAN EXECUTIVE STEERING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 002583

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/02/2017
TAGS: ECON IZ MOPS PGOV
SUBJECT: BAGHDAD SECURITY PLAN EXECUTIVE STEERING
COMMITTEE, JULY 27


Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: In the absence of Prime Minister Nuri
al-Maliki, Deputy Prime Minister Barhim Salih chaired the 27
July 2007 Baghdad Security Plan (Fardh al Qanoon - FAQ)
Executive Steering Committee (I-ESC) of the Government of
Iraq (GoI). The meeting featured a wide ranging discussion
of security operations in Diyala and the corresponding need
to increase service provisions in the province. Also
notable, the meeting highlighted the Minister of Oil's
reluctance to directly follow-through on PM Maliki's
directive by immediately settling arrears impeding the Kuwait
Fuel dispute. End Summary.

Kuwait Fuel Payment Update
--------------


2. (C) The Minister of Electricity stated that the Minister
of Oil, who was not present at this week's I-ESC, is holding
up payment of its $2.4 M portion of the payment until Kuwait
releases the relevant fuel trucks to transport new product
purchases - including diesel bound for electricity
generators. Kuwait insists on receiving payment for past
demurrage charges before releasing the trucks. DPM Salih
expressed frustration at the Ministor of Oil's behavior,
stating that he is effectively insubordinate to a directive
from PM Maliki and that "our government will fall if everyone
behaves as individuals." DPM Salih said that we would bring
up this issue at the next Ministerial Council on National
Security.

Government Owned Buildings
--------------


3. (C) The representative from DPM Zoubai's Office (Note:
Zoubai himself was in Jordan. End Note.) stated that an
Executive Order placing the Office of DPM Zoubai in charge of
monitoring ministerial progress on building refurbishment
would be issued soon. (Comment. Our understanding is that
Zoubai does not actually want this responsibility. End
Comment).

Government Payments to Terrorism Victims and Returning IDPs
-------------- --------------


4. (C) In a discussion about a 26 July truck bomb in the
Karadah neighborhood of Baghdad, the Chairman of the Baghdad
Provincial Councils (CBPC) urged the I-ESC to establish a new
body that can provide emergency services, victim payments and
rubble removal in the aftermath of terrorist attacks. The
Governor of Baghdad stated that the Ministry of Finance is
taking too long to make such payments and is reducing
relevant payments for victims under the age of 18 because the
legal term for such payments is "compensation." He suggested
that "compensation" be replaced with "grant" so that full
payments would be made. DPM Salih stated that setting up a
new body would take time, and the imperative issue was to
have the names of the victims so that PM Maliki could
immediately issue payments. The CBPC said that he had the
names and would provide them.


5. (C) The Governor of Baghdad highlighted that the number of
payments to Internally Displaced Families (IDPs) returning to
their homes has continued to increase, saying that the day
before he had paid approximately 800 families and in the
coming week he expected 1700 families returning to Haifa
Street to receive payments. In response to comments that his
office might be viewed as being sectarian by delaying
payments to 300 families in Abu Gharib, the Governor stated
that such accusations were groundless as he himself had
delivered the payment application forms to the relevant local
office. (Comment: Through the NSA I-ESC secretariat, we have
kept a running tally of IDPs paid on each week's I-ESC Agenda
so the Governor has his weekly performance viewed by all.
End Comment.)

Baghdad Security Cameras
--------------


6. (C) The Governor of Baghdad provided an update to the
on-going installation of 200 security cameras that will allow
PM Maliki to "have a control room where he can see all of
Baghdad." The Governor clarified that the cameras will come
under the jurisdiction of the Province of Baghdad and stated
that they have began with decoy cameras and that so far only
one has been destroyed. The Governor requested that the
I-ESC ask the Minister of Communications to grant access to
various towers that can serve as mounts for the cameras.

Security and Services in Diyala Province and North Baghdad
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7. (C) As part of a wide ranging discussion about several
security operations in Diyala, the Minister of Defense noted
that Diyala has not received food "rations" from the Public
Distribution Service for 10 months and that a range of
services must be improved in the province. In response to
this, the Minister of Interior noted the recent recruitment
of 7000 volunteers to help with essential services, and DPM
Salih stated that the Ministry of Trade is ready to send new
ration trucks on Monday but that they require security. He
also noted that food warehouses in Diyala are full. The
problem appears to be transporting rations to outlying
villages. General Petraeus noted that PM Maliki had a
productive trip to Diyala the day before, and that it is
imperative that the Ministry of Trade quickly supply food and
fuel to Ba'quba and the rest of Diyala.


8. (C) The Minister of Electricity discussed a currently
non-operating factory that produces electrical transformers.
He stated that the factory needs $100 M in investment, but
could run tomorrow at 25% efficiency, provided that he
receives a government "green light" that the security
situation is satisfactory. General Petraeus stated that it
is problematic that the Ministry of Finance (MoF) is not
adequately providing needed financing for such facilities. He
noted that Deputy Undersecretary of Defense, Paul Brinkley's
Task Force on Business Stabilization is working to help
provide some initial financing for State Owned Enterprises
and other industries. Dr. Chalabi and DPM Salih concurred in
the assessment that MoF must become more active in providing
working capital financing. DPM Salih also suggested that the
I-ESC should invite Brinkley to present an update on his
program.


9. (C) The Governor of Baghdad noted that there was an
increase in Al Qaeda activity in Tarmiya and urged the MoD,
MoI, and MNF-I to take action to secure the area. (Comment.
The Governor does not typically attend the Ministerial
Council on National Security or the Crisis Cell so he
occasionally uses the I-ESC to raise security-related topics.
End Comment.) General Petraeus applauded the Governor's
raising awareness on this issue and noted that wherever
Sunnis and Shia's are rejecting extremists in their midst,
the GoI should support them. DPM Salih invited the Governor
to come to the next Crisis Cell to discuss the security issue
further.

Baghdad Water Situation
--------------


10. (C) General Petraeus noted that the water situation in
Baghdad had improved and stated that it is good that the
I-ESC had discussed the issue 3 weeks ago when the Karkh
water treatment plant, which produces 40% of the city's
drinking water, was running out of chlorine. He said that
the discussion had helped lead to the plant now having a 2
month supply of chlorine, but that it is important to
continue to work to ensure that Baghdad's water system has
sufficient supplies of electricity and chlorine and that the
infrastructure is repaired as required. To assist this,
General Petraeus circulated a water plant status tracking
slide recently created by the MNF-I. (Comment. Ideally such
a tracking mechanism will eventually be handed over to, and
kept up to date by, the GoI. End Comment.)


11. (C) A heated exchange took place between the Mayor of
Baghdad and the Minister of Defense regarding the alleged
two-day shutdown of the Karkh water plant resulting from an
ISF security operation. The Mayor stated that in response to
an attack by extremists, Iraqi Security Forces had responded
in such a way that no access was permitted to the facility
for 48 hours, putting the plant's production at risk. The
Minister of Defense responded that should the Mayor want
different security practices, he should pay for Facility
Protection Services himself and pay to train his "300 FPS who
are doing nothing." Baghdad Operations Commander General
Aboud stated that he would be visiting the facility on the
29th to sort out what had happened and ensure that the
facility operates at full capacity. Later on, the Mayor
apologized for the tone of his comments.

Security Checkpoints
--------------


12. (C) To the consternation of General Aboud, the issue of
updating the status of on-going improvements in security
check points was on the I-ESC Agenda. (Comment: Aboud is
correct that the MCNS or Crisis Cell are more appropriate
venues. End Comment.) However, General Aboud did brief that
a Joint Battalion is assigned to inspect check points
regularly and provide needed equipment. The Minister of
Interior also noted that the Check Point Training Officers
under his command must continue to teach proper check point

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security procedures. National Security Advisor Dr. Mowafaq
Rubaie moved that the issue should be further discussed in
the Crisis Cell.

Asian Cup Championship
--------------


13. (C) DPM Salih noted that July 29 would be an important
day for Iraq and that, God willing, the Iraqi soccer team
would achieve victory in the finals of the Asia Cup against
Saudi Arabia. He stated that Iraqi Security Forces must be
ready to deal with celebratory violence in such an event.
CROCKER