GOI RECEIVES U.S./UK COMMENTS TO CWC INITIAL

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 002819

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

THE HAGUE FOR CWC DELEGATION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2017
TAGS: CW IZ PARM PGOV PREL OPCW
SUBJECT: GOI RECEIVES U.S./UK COMMENTS TO CWC INITIAL
DECLARATION

REF: STATE 107595

Classified By: POLMIL COUNSELOR MARCIE B. RIES, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) PolMilOff and other EmbOffs met with Minister of
Science and Technology Raid Fahmi Jahid, Director General
Mohammed Jawad Al Sharaa (Head of the National Monitoring
Directorate),Dr. Muhaned Kareem Al-Hilli (Chief, Chemical
Department, NMD),and other MOST officials August 20 to
discuss progress on Iraq,s accession to the Chemical Weapons
Convention and other issues (septel). PolMilOff delivered
the combined U.S./UK comments on Iraq,s draft initial
declaration with accompanying letter per Department,s
request (reftel).


2. (C) Al Sharaa thanked PolMilOff for the comments and
indicated that the National Monitoring Directorate (NMD) had
made progress in completing its initial declaration since the
last OPCW workshop in December 2006. He undertook to contact
PolMilOff after he had reviewed the latest U.S./UK comments
and incorporated necessary changes into the initial
declaration, although he was noncommittal regarding how long
this would take. Al Sharaa indicated that the NMD would be
ready to participate in a further OPCW workshop after
reviewing the U.S./UK comments. He mentioned some
difficulties in gathering the data necessary to make a
complete initial declaration, including the redaction of
information from the CAFCD which NMD had received from
UNMOVIC. Al Sharaa also claimed that he lacked information
about relevant activities taking place in areas of Iraq
administered by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). He
complained that the KRG was raising bureaucratic obstacles to
GOI efforts to gain visibility on industrial activity in
Kurdistan that would need to be reported in the initial draft.


3. (C) Al Sharaa explained that the Council of
Representatives (CoR) might take up ratification of the CWC
as soon as next month when it is scheduled to begin its next
session. The instrument of ratification remains with the
CoR,s security and defense committee and must undergo a
third reading before the CoR can vote on its passage.


4. (C) Al Sharaa also provided an update on the progress of
the &Law of Non-Proliferation in the Republic of Iraq8,
which would serve as implementing legislation for the CWC,
the Biological Weapons Convention, and the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty. The law has been reviewed by OPCW
lawyers in its Arabic and English versions, reported Al
Sharaa, and they had no comments regarding the aspects
concerning the CWC. The law is now being considered by the
Shura Council, after which it will need the approval of the
Prime Minister,s office before it makes it to the CoR to be
voted on. This process is likely to take three months or
more, according to Al Sharaa. Post will forward to the
Department the English version of the draft law which Al
Sharaa provided.


5. (C) NOTE: MOST Deputy Minister Samir Raouf was kidnapped
from his residence near the ministry August 19. MOST
officials insisted that our meeting go forward despite the
kidnapping. END NOTE.
CROCKER