UNITED NATIONS TO EXPAND TO NAJAF, COLLOCATE WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002189

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/10/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO IZ
SUBJECT: UNITED NATIONS TO EXPAND TO NAJAF, COLLOCATE WITH
PRT

Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor Greg D'Elia, Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).


1. (C) Summary. On June 30, Najaf Team Leader (TL) met with
Siddharth Chatterjee, Chief of Staff to the United Nations
Special Representative for Iraq, to discuss next steps to
establish a UN presence at FOB Endeavor, collocated with the
PRT. The UN selected Najaf as their operational center for
South-Central Iraq and intends to place two UN staff with the
PRT beginning August 1, pending full agreement with MNF-I to
take up residence at a DoD facility. Over the next several
months, the UN plans to establish a permanent presence by
expanding operations within FOB Endeavor. UN presence in
Najaf is expected to help increase the international
community's capacity to provide support and training in
advance of provincial elections. End Summary.


2. (C) Chatterjee confirmed to TL that he UN intends to
establish a presence in Najaf at FOB Endeavor and cited a
successful visit to the PRT earlier in the month to assess
the feasibility of the site. After placing the first two
staff persons in early August, the UN plans to establish a
lasting presence of seven to ten UN personnel in order to
engage the region and to support UN delegations in South
Central Iraq. The first phase of this plan will embed two UN
staff members with the PRT to facilitate expansion and begin
project and political work in Najaf.


3. (C) In the first part of August the UN plans to send a
ten-person delegation to Najaf, led by the Deputy Senior
Representative, and including FAO, WHO, and UNICEF. This
delegation would require PRT support to assist the locally
embedded UN staff. Najaf Governor Asaad Abu Gelal informed
PRT of his enthusiastic support for an expanded UN presence
and asked the PRT to do all it can to facilitate. UN Special
Representative Staffan de Mistura met with Governor Asaad in
Baghdad on June 29 to cement support for Najaf expansion.
All sides agreed that collocating the UN with the PRT is the
best way forward in Najaf.


4. (C) Comment: PRT and Mission warmly welcome the UN
decision to collocate at FOB Endeavor. A UN presence will
bring significant capabilities to the international presence
in Najaf, including critical election support in the lead-up
to provincial elections. Most local contacts and partners
indicated to PRT Offs the strong, positive, neutral image the
UN enjoys and agreed that the development would raise the
stature of the entire international presence in South Central
Iraq. UN personnel will have the ability to join the PRT's
Military Movement Teams in joint meetings in Najaf. Despite
living and traveling with U.S. personnel, the PRT recognizes
the independence of the UN and will cooperate closely with
ISF when the UN representatives plan to meet in places where
CF are not accepted, like Sistani's office in Najaf's Old
Town and in certain OMS offices. End Comment.
CROCKER