ZEBARI ON UNAMI COMPOUND; AMBASSADORIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001425 SIPDIS NEA/I - JDAVIS; IO/UNP - BLINES E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ SUBJECT: ZEBARI ON UNAMI COMPOUND; AMBASSADORIAL APPOINTMENTS REF: STATE 46440 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Ellen J. Germain for Reasons 1.4d/b ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. In a May 6 meeting, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told Acting Political Counselor that the GOI would only make a symbolic contribution toward the construction of a new UNAMI compound. Zebari appeared determined to tamp down expectations that UNAMI would get the Al Sijud Palace grounds or that the matter would be settled quickly. Zebari was subdued about the recent Apakan/Ozcelick visit, conceding that it broke taboos but grousing that the parties had not moved beyond their usual positions. Zebari revealed he has specific names in mind for key ambassadorial posting, and added that Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamad Haj Hamoud, the MFA's SFA/SOFA front-man, was among them. END SUMMARY. UNAMI COMPOUND 2.) (C) Zebari assured A/PolCouns that the MFA was in the lead on this issue and had already provided the Prime Minister's Office a written endorsement of UNAMI's request to locate their compound on the Al Sijud Palace (Georgian Complex) grounds - an endorsement which, according to Zebari, the PMO rejected. Zebari does not know why the PMO wants the Al Sijud palace, but noted its "strong appetite" for International Zone real estate, but promised to send another letter supporting UNAMI's request to the PMO. Ambassador Talal al Khudairi, MFA Head of International Organizations, whom Zebari summoned specifically when we raised the issue, wondered if UNAMI would consider alternate sites. Zebari went so far as to admit he was the source of the GOI's promise to provide financial support for the project, but dismissed the USD 100 million figure, saying he did not know where it originated. Zebari "personally doubted" the GOI would make anything more than symbolic contribution to the compound. ¶3. (C) Per reftel, A/PolCouns stressed the lease and financial support letters were short fuse requests and Zebari good-naturedly but pointedly responded that events in Iraq did not happen along New York or DC timelines. He closed by saying he would raise the matter with SRSG de Mistura later this week. (Comment: Zebari was clearly attempting to tamp down expectations about the Al Sijud Palace. British Embassy contacts also reported that PM Senior Advisor Tariq Abdullah told the UK Charge that UNAMI's initial written request did not make it clear enough that UNAMI only wanted the Al Sijrud grounds. Dr. Tariq suggested the GOI would approve the plan but required a new letter from UNAMI before it could act on the request. End Comment.) TURKISH DELEGATION ¶4. (C) Zebari assessed that Turkish MFA Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan and Special Envoy Murat Ozcelik's talks with senior KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani "broke a taboo" and hoped they would lead to more consistent contacts at all levels. Zebari, who stressed that he participated in the meetings in both a GOI and KRG capacity, was far from effusive about the outcomes, however, noting that both sides dug in to their usual positions - the Turks complaining about the KRG's half-hearted attempts to address the PKK issue and the KRG grumbling that ongoing Turkish kinetic operation were counterproductive and not having anywhere near the destructive effect on the PKK that the Turks claimed. Zebari continued that the GOT was not showing much interest the bi-lateral commission, but that the large number of high-level GOI visitors to Turkey (he mentioned Vice President Hashemi's recent visit) to some extent obviated the need for the commission. He reported that the bi-lateral counterterrorism agreement was stalled over the "hot pursuit" issue and stressed that the GOI would not give Turkey, or any other country, that right. AMBASSADORS ¶5. (C) Zebari revealed he has names of career diplomats in mind for Ambassadorial postings to KSA, Kuwait, Egypt, UAE and Syria and added that Deputy Foreign Minister and GOI SOFA Team Leader Mohammad Haj Hamoud was among them. (Note. When PolOff asked, Hamoud professed not to know what country Zebari had in mind. Other contacts speculated he would be assigned to Egypt. End Note.) Zebari promised to give us a list linking names to assignments by the end of next week. CROCKER