DEPUTY GOVERNOR DESCRIBES SOUTH KOREA TRIP, AIRPORT FOLLOW

C O N F I D E N T I A L HILLAH 000175 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/25/2017 TAGS: ECON EAIR IZ PREL SUBJECT: DEPUTY GOVERNOR DESCRIBES SOUTH KOREA TRIP, AIRPORT FOLLOW UP REF: HILLAH 162 CLASSIFIED BY: SIMMONSAT, TEAM LEADER, PRT DIWANIYAH , DOS. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (U) This is a PRT Najaf cable. ¶2. (C) Deputy Governor Abtan met with PRT Leader and PRToffs at the proposed new location for PRT Najaf at former Camp Endeavor next to the airport on December 18. Abtan described his travel to the Republic of Korea (ROK) earlier this month. He noted that the Korean public did not understand the situation in Iraq well and that he was one of the few senior Iraqi officials to travel to Korea in some time. Abtan commented that a Korean parliamentary decision prohibiting Korean citizens from travelling to Iraq could severely hamper Korean companies from doing business in Iraq. He met with Hyundai and Samsung to encourage investment in Iraq and participation in a Najaf convention center project, noting that Korean companies could greatly expand their sales with Iraq-based representatives. Abtan predicted that annual Korean auto sales could increase from the current 3,000 to 60,000. Abtan said that he convinced Korean Parliamentary leaders to send a delegation to visit Baghdad and Najaf headed by the Foreign Relations Committee Chair or other senior Parliamentary leadership figures. A special exception would enable companies like Hyundai and Samsung to accompany the delegation. Abtan also spent time with the Korean Parliament, the Korean media, and the Foreign Ministry. ¶3. (C) The Deputy Governor also noted that he had been in communication with ICAA Director-General Captain Sabeeh subsequent to reftel meeting at the Najaf Airport on December 8. Although Sabeeh wrote Najaf a letter asking that all work at the airport stop until a project consultant is engaged (see reftel),Abtan remonstrated that some airport projects were not relevant to ICAO accreditation and did not need to stop, to which Abtan said that Sabeeh agreed. FYI: Interestingly, in an email exchange of Eid greetings and airport update with Team Leader Sabeeh wrote ", I am sure we have common interest both to get consultant company (USA) to take the lead and by that we could prevent some of our enemies from putting their nose in our business!!! So I think we need to do our best to get that company and block the roads for whom we do not want them to have a foot there. Best regards, Sabeeh." ¶4. (C) Abtan noted that the Prime Minister of Kurdistan, Nachirvan Barzani had recently visited Najaf and invited Abtan to visit Erbil. Abtan thought it would be useful to visit the airport and meet the Turkish consultancy that ensured ICAO compliance, but wanted to be sure that the Embassy's transportation had no problem with this since the Embassy's Transportation Attache was already engaged in contracting potential Najaf Airport Project consulting companies. The Deputy Governor also asked Team Leader to follow through with a recommendation of three international companies capable of supplying airport security. (Comment: We passed three recommendations to Deputy Governor Abtan and consider it very positive that the Najaf government is comfortable enough with an international/American company providing security to the airport that they would ask us for recommendations. End Comment). Finally, he asked Team Leader the status of the 2006 ESF Apron Project, where a miscalculation between square and cubic meters in the original contract has resulted in a USD 3.5 million shortfall; and he asked into the status of the Airport Helipad Project. Team leader confirmed the need to secure additional funding for the Apron Project and said the Helipad Project had already been let and was underway (we are confirming this through USACE). ¶5. (C) Comment: The meeting with Deputy Governor Abtan took place at Camp Endeavor in Najaf, the new site for the PRT Najaf and current home to 1,000+ soldiers from the 3/1/8 Iraqi Infantry. Endeavor is situated adjacent to the airport and collocated with an Iraqi Army battalion headed by Colonel Hussan. Drive time to the Governor's Compound from Camp Endeavor will be about five minutes. The Iraqi battalion will contribute to enhanced airport and PRT security. The USG should respond expeditiously to funding requests to ensure the Najaf Airport Project moves forward rapidly. We need to find a way to resolve the funding for the Apron Project (one of a number of separate projects that will be needed as part of the overall Airport Project) that does not involve waiting until all other 2008 ESF projects for Najaf are presented and funded. We also need to follow through smartly in arranging for the airport project consultant to come on board. End Comment SIMMONS