Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LONDON798
2007-03-01 17:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy London
Cable title:  

IRAQ MND-SE UPDATE: UK TO BE OUT OF BASRA PALACE

Tags:  PREL MARR MCAP IZ UK 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2210
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHLO #0798 0601750
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 011750Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2098
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBC/REO BASRAH IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000798 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR MCAP IZ UK
SUBJECT: IRAQ MND-SE UPDATE: UK TO BE OUT OF BASRA PALACE
BY AUGUST; UN TO KUWAIT; LITHUANIANS, ROMANIANS TO STAY

Classified By: PolCouns Richard Mills for reasons 1.4 B, D

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000798

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR MCAP IZ UK
SUBJECT: IRAQ MND-SE UPDATE: UK TO BE OUT OF BASRA PALACE
BY AUGUST; UN TO KUWAIT; LITHUANIANS, ROMANIANS TO STAY

Classified By: PolCouns Richard Mills for reasons 1.4 B, D


1. (C) SUMMARY: The entire UK presence at Basra Palace,
both military and civilian, will be transferred to Basra Air
Station by August, UK MOD officials told Embassy London March

1. HMG understands the USG has not yet reached a decision on
its own presence at Basra Palace but asks that a decision on
the ultimate disposition of the U.S. Regional Engagement
Office (REO) be made as soon as possible, so that the UK can
begin to coordinate a hand over of the Palace with the
Iraqis. MOD officials also reported that the UN has decided
to transfer its two employees from Basra Palace to Kuwait;
the Romanians, whose current mission is to guard the UN
employees, have indicated a desire to stay on in MND-SE in a
different capacity. Meanwhile, the Lithuanians have agreed
to stay in their current ground forces capacity, despite the
change in the Danish mission. END SUMMARY.

FUTURE OF BASRA PALACE


2. (C) HMG has made its final decision to withdraw
completely from Basra Palace, UK MOD officials told Embassy
London in a FCO/MOD meeting March 1. The Consulate staff
will complete its move to the Basra Air Station (BAS) by the
second week in April; all other aspects of the UK presence,
including military and support staff, will be repositioned to
BAS by August, at which time the UK intends to hand the
Palace over to the Iraqis. PGHQ LTC Ben Farrell said that
the UK believes returning a totemic building like the Palace
is entirely consistent with the overall policy of transition
to Iraqi control as conditions warrant. He noted that the
Basrawis have been delighted with the hand overs of Shaiba
Air Base, the Old State Building, and the Shaat al-Arab
Hotel. FCO Iraq Security Issues Deputy Head Giles Lever said
the FCO is considering keeping an office in the Basra Palace
after the UK Consulate moves to the BAS in April, but
stressed this space would be closed in August.


3. (C) HMG does not plan to approach the Iraqis about the
hand over of Basra Palace until it has sorted out
arrangements with coalition partners, especially the U.S.,
Farrell and Lever said. They recognized that the USG has not
yet formally decided how to proceed with its assets at Basra
Palace, but asked for a plan on the future of the U.S.
Regional Engagement Office (REO) as soon as possible. The UK
is particularly concerned about security around the Basra
Palace compound in the interim period between when their
Consulate departs in April and the Iraqis take control in
August, Farrell and Lever said. They suggested the U.S.
consider moving into the UK Consulate accommodations once
they are vacated, leaving the southern section of the
compound vacant; this would open up more options for securing
the southern section. Farrell said he will be part of a
military delegation visiting Washington on March 22, and
Lever said FCO Iraq Director Simon McDonald plans to travel
to Washington March 26-27; both would raise this issue with
their U.S. counterparts.

UN EMPLOYEES TO KUWAIT, ROMANIANS TO REMAIN


4. (C) The UN has decided to relocate its two employees
currently in Basra Palace to Kuwait, thus effectively
terminating its mission in Basra for the present, Farrell
said. The UK has urged the UN to reconsider, pointing out
that there is space for a UN presence at the BAS; the UN has
said it will consider resettling at the BAS at some stage.
The Romanians, whose current mission is to guard the two UN
employees, are fed up with their 'non-job,' said Farrell, and
have told the UK they would like to stay on in a different
capacity. The UK is currently exploring whether the
Romanians would continue to protect the southern section of
the Basra Palace compound until August, and then switch to
force protection at the BAS, although moving out from under a
UN mandate could cause the Romanians difficulties, Farrell
acknowledged.

LITHUANIANS TO STAY


5. (C) The Lithuanians have agreed to stay on in MND-SE in
their current capacity, Farrell reported. The Lithuanian
plan is to dis-embed from the Danish force when the Danes
switch from ground to air support, continuing on as a ground
presence. The Lithuanians would continue to receive support
from the Danes, whose support systems will remain more or
less the same. The UK has asked the Lithuanians to consider
doubling their current presence to 100 soldiers, and the GOL
is considering the offer, Farrell said.

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