Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BAGHDAD2467
2008-08-07 07:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

MOVING THE GOI TOWARD INCLUDING ANTI-ARAB LEAGUE

Tags:  ECON ETRD KPBT PREL EFIN IZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5290
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #2467 2200756
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 070756Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8706
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002467 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2018
TAGS: ECON ETRD KPBT PREL EFIN IZ
SUBJECT: MOVING THE GOI TOWARD INCLUDING ANTI-ARAB LEAGUE
BOYCOTT LANGUAGE IN MOH CONTRACTS

REF: A. BAGHDAD 760

B. DAVIDSON-EMBASSY BAGHDAD E-MAIL 25 FEB 08

Classified By: Acting DCM Charles Ries for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002467

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2018
TAGS: ECON ETRD KPBT PREL EFIN IZ
SUBJECT: MOVING THE GOI TOWARD INCLUDING ANTI-ARAB LEAGUE
BOYCOTT LANGUAGE IN MOH CONTRACTS

REF: A. BAGHDAD 760

B. DAVIDSON-EMBASSY BAGHDAD E-MAIL 25 FEB 08

Classified By: Acting DCM Charles Ries for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The Deputy Health Minister will instruct MOH
officials to change the standard wording of procurement and
other contracts in a way that will eliminate Arab League
Boycott (ALB) language, replacing it with language that does
not violate U.S. anti-Boycott legislation. End Summary.


2. (C) Embassy officials met Aug. 5 with Deputy Health
Minister Abdullah Issam to urge that ALB language that has
been included in a pending Ministry of Health (MOH) contract
with a U.S. firm be eliminated and replaced with anti-Boycott
language. EconCouns explained to Issam that U.S. legislation
does not permit American firms to sign contracts that contain
explicit ALB language. Eliminating ALB language will allow
Iraqi firms to conduct business with U.S. firms and thereby,
in the case of the Ministry of Health, provide the highest
quality U.S. pharmaceuticals and medical equipment to Iraqi
citizens. EconCouns further offered to meet with MOH
procurement and contracting officials to help them revise
standard contracting language to serve these purposes.
Commercial Attache noted that Kimadia, the Ministry's
procurement arm, is currently seeking to procure the services
of an American firm, but that firm is unable to sign because
the contract it has been offered contains ALB language that
violates U.S. law.


3. (C) Issam agreed that the MOH needed to find standard
contracting language that did not violate U.S. law. He
committed to facilitating a meeting between Embassy personnel
and Kimadia procurement executives, and said he would
instruct them to work with us to find acceptable language.
He additionally requested the Embassy's assistance in
identifying U.S. firms to partner with the MOH to improve
healthcare nationwide, and acknowledged that contracts which
prevent U.S. companies from doing business in Iraq would
undermine the Ministry's efforts to provide the best possible
health care to all Iraqi citizens.


4. (C) COMMENT: We will meet with MOH and Kimadia officials
as soon as possible to provide them examples of the
anti-Boycott language DOC has provided us (Ref B). We are
cautiously optimistic that these developments move us a step
closer to our goal (Ref A) of ensuring non-implementation in
Iraq of ALB provisions. End Comment.
CROCKER