DFM ABBAWI DISCUSSES DEVELOPMENTS IN BILATERAL

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 001918

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2018
TAGS: PREL PTER AE DA JO IR IZ SY SZ
SUBJECT: DFM ABBAWI DISCUSSES DEVELOPMENTS IN BILATERAL
RELATIONSHIPS

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Classified By: Pol-Mil Minister-Counselor Marcie B. Ries, Reasons 1.4(b
) and (d)


1. (S) SUMMARY: In a June 18 tour d'horizon, Deputy Foreign
Minister Labeed Abbawi told Pol-Mil M/C that Iraq's
relationship with Syria was stalled due to Syrian mistrust
and that Libya had not responded to Iraq regarding its hold
on the 1267 designations of several Syria-based Al Qaeda in
Iraq (AQI) facilitators. He related that increasing
nationalism and sensitivity regarding Iraq's sovereignty
within the Prime Minister's circle were leading to less
interest in GOI participation at conferences outside Iraq
such as the Friends of Iraq event in the UAE and a decree
that such conferences should be held inside Iraq. In
Abbawi's opinion, Iran was using violence in Iraq as a lever
to force the U.S. to deal with it on equal terms and it was
unclear whether Maliki's trip to Iran had yielded a change in
its lethal aid to Shia militants. The recent conference held
by the MEK at Ashraf was antagonizing Iraqis against the U.S.
for no good reason. Abbawi also discussed the Swiss desire
to close their embassy in Baghdad, requesting the U.S. to
reach out to the Swiss on the issue. Other issues Abbawi
mentioned included a disagreement with Denmark regarding the
return of Iraqi criminals and refugees, and Russia's negative
statement on Iraq at the UNSC. See paragraph 7 for an action
request. END SUMMARY.

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SYRIA NOT TAKING IRAQ SERIOUSLY
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2. (C) Abbawi was pessimistic regarding prospects for
improved Syria-Iraq relations in the remainder of the year.
He based his assessment on Syrian perceptions that Iraq was
not serious about improving the relationship and its feeling
that relations with Iraq and the rest of its neighbors would
improve after it "normalized" its relations with Europe and
after the U.S. presidential election. Syria felt that Iraq's
promises of economic deals, particularly involving oil, had
been empty, and that they had remained unfulfilled due to
U.S. pressure. Abbawi remarked that Syria had failed to
respond to Iraq's inquiry regarding the killing of eleven
Iraqi Police at Ramanah on May 2 by insurgents who fled to
Syria. He had asked the Iraqi Charg in Damascus to follow
up but was not optimistic.

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LIBYAN HOLD ON 1267 DESIGNATIONS
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3. (C) Pol-Mil M/C asked Abbawi if the GOI had made any
progress in convincing Libya to lift its hold on 1267
designations of Syria-based AQI facilitator Abu Ghadiyah and
three of his associates. Abbawi replied that Foreign
Minister Zebari had sent a note to Libya's UN PermRep asking
them to reconsider their hold but that Libya had not
responded. As AQI's safe havens inside Iraq were squeezed
smaller by Iraqi and Coalition operations, Pol-Mil M/C
emphasized that AQI was becoming more dependent on its
facilitation networks outside Iraq. This would be an
appropriate moment for Syria to take action against those
networks which were operating in its territory.

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CONFERENCES ON IRAQ SHOULD BE HELD IN IRAQ
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4. (S) Abbawi affirmed that the GOI would like to hold the
next Neighbors Ministerial in Baghdad in October while
admitting that it was unclear if this would be possible due
to a reluctance among some participating governments. The
Prime Minister had also issued a decree a few days before
ordering that the government would not participate in
international conferences on Iraq taking place outside Iraq;
all such events must take place in Iraq. Abbawi attributed
this decree and the reluctance of the Prime Minister to
support the Friends of Iraq conference currently taking place
in Abu Dhabi to a combination of increasing nationalism and
sensitivity regarding sovereignty within Maliki's inner
circle. He intimated that Iran may have pushed back on the

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Friends of Iraq conference because it was not invited and
because MNF-I was organizing the conference. Abbawi
reiterated the frustration many Iraqis feel towards their
Arab neighbors which are often the hosts of events which
should take place inside Iraq: Jordan often refuses entry or
expels Iraqis and the UAE has even refused visas to
delegations of Iraqis heading to an energy conference hosted
in Dubai. Why should Iraqis go to conferences in other
countries to be mistreated and insulted?

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IRAN WANTS U.S. TO TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY
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5. (S) It was too early to tell whether Iran had really
stopped arming, funding, and training Shia militants,
according to Abbawi. In his view, Iran was continuing these
activities as a means of pressuring the U.S. to recognize
Iran as a full diplomatic and economic partner and as a
player in Iraq. Iran was also clearly trying to pressure the
U.S. by working against the SOFA; the U.S. might ultimately
have to ease pressure on Iran in order to secure its
approval. Pol-Mil M/C countered that if Iran was seeking a
normal relationship with the U.S. killing Coalition
servicemembers and causing violence in Iraq sent, at best, a
mixed message, as did its failure to cooperate with the UNSC
and IAEA. (NOTE: Iraq is a member of the IAEA Board of
Governors. END NOTE)

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SWISS WANT TO CLOSE EMBASSY
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6. (C) Abbawi related that the Swiss Charg had revealed his
government's intention to accredit their Ambassador in
Damascus to Iraq while at the same time closing their mission
in Baghdad. Iraq was considering naming an Ambassador to
Switzerland but would have to rethink this if Switzerland
proceeded with the closure. The Swiss cited their heavy
security expenses, to which Abbawi responded that the GOI
would increase security for the mission. He made clear to
the Swiss that their closure made no sense at a time when
other governments such as Sweden and Brazil were looking to
open embassies and would have an adverse effect on bilateral
relations. Abbawi asked that the U.S. engage the Swiss on
this issue.


7. (C) ACTION REQUEST: Post requests the Department to
instruct Embassy Bern to encourage the Swiss Government to
maintain its embassy and diplomatic staff resident in Baghdad.

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DENMARK ON REPATRIATION, RUSSIA AT UN
--------------


8. (C) Denmark had also threatened to close their embassy in
Baghdad if Iraq did not sign an agreement to accept the
return of Iraqis who had been refused refugee status. Abbawi
related that Iraq had countered that there should be a
bilateral agreement regarding the return of Iraqis who had
committed crimes in Denmark. The current practice of
returning these persons without formal notice based on an
oral agreement made with the Iraqi Ministry of Displacement
and Migration was unacceptable. Separately, Abbawi noted
that he had called in the Russian Ambassador to express
displeasure at the Russian PermRep's recent unhelpful
statements at the UNSC session reviewing UNSCR 1790. The
Russian Ambassador pleaded that Churkin's critical remarks
were not based on information provided by his embassy,
pointing the finger instead at UN reports which supposedly
painted the situation in Iraq in a negative light.

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MEK CONFERENCE PLAYS INTO IRAN'S HANDS
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9. (S) In response to Pol-Mil M/C's question regarding the
previous day's debate on the Mujaheddin e-Khalq (MEK) in the
Council of Representatives, Abbawi expressed exasperation
that the MEK had been allowed to hold a conference at Camp

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Ashraf attended by many "Ba'athists" including COR member
Saleh Mutlaq. This was "antagonizing Iraqis against the U.S.
for no reason." The timing of the event, immediately after
Maliki's visit to Tehran, played into the hands of Iran. The
fact that the conference was carried live on al Babiliah TV
only aggravated the situation. The Council of Ministers
decision to ban contacts by anyone, including foreigners,
with the MEK was a foregone conclusion in the circumstances.
CROCKER