SECRETARY LEAVITT PRESSES PM MALIKI FOR QUICK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003385

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2028
TAGS: TBIO PREL PGOV OVIP SOCI IZ
SUBJECT: SECRETARY LEAVITT PRESSES PM MALIKI FOR QUICK
PASSAGE OF SOFA

Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b, c).

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Summary
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1. (C) In their October 20 meeting in Baghdad, U.S. Secretary
of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt and Iraq Prime
Minister Nuri Al Maliki agreed on the importance of continued
U.S.-Iraq health cooperation in "solidifying" the two
countries' partnership. Encouraging quick passage of the
SOFA, Secretary Leavitt noted the United States is entering a
"fragile period" after the November election, when politics
can be "unpredictable." While heartily agreeing that an
agreement is in the interests of all countries in the region,
PM Maliki noted that "complexities have appeared recently."
The situation has become more difficult to predict, he said,
and while he is "optimistic about an agreement," he said
international cooperation is required to deal with these
difficulties. End summary.


2. (U) Participant list:

Iraq:
- Nuri Al Maliki -- Prime Minister
- Dr. Salih Al Hassnawi -- Minister of Health
- Dr. Tariq Abdullah -- Prime Minister's Chief of Staff
- Prime Minister's interpreter

United States Embassy:
- Secretary Michael Leavitt -- Department of Health and Human
Services
- Ambassador Ryan Crocker
- Richard McKeown -- HHS
- William Stieger -- HHS
- Dr. Terry Cline -- Health Attache
- Roy Therrien -- ESTH Officer
- Dr. Galal El-Nahal -- Ambassador's interpreter

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Health Services Cooperation: A "Bridge" Between East and West
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3. (U) In their October 20 meeting in Baghdad, Secretary of
Health and Human Services (HHS) Michael Leavitt and Iraq
Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki agreed on the importance of
continued U.S.-Iraq health cooperation in "solidifying" the
two countries' partnership. Citing Iraq's determination to
overcome years of "international isolation" under Saddam, PM
Maliki said Iraq is particularly looking to the United States
as the world leader in healthcare. Saddam made no capital
investments in Iraq's healthcare system since 1985, he said,
which has left their infrastructure to crumble, and
once-proud complexes like Medical City are now "past their
expiration date." Secretary Leavitt complemented Minister of
Health Salih's "excellent bedside manner" with the healthcare
community in Iraq and lauded his energy and determination to
reestablish Iraq as a regional leader in health. PM Maliki
said the recent stabilization of the security situation has
allowed his government to turn its attention to the
improvement of services in a number of sectors, including
health, and he thanked the Secretary for his assistance.


4. (U) Secretary Leavitt called next month's Iraq-funded
program that will bring 30 Iraqi doctors to the United States
to share best-practices experiences with U.S. healthcare
professionals, "just the beginning." PM Maliki agreed,
calling such healthcare cooperation "the ultimate success" of
the U.S.-Iraq partnership, because it brings together people,
not just governments, with a true desire to work with each
other. "These bonds will help build bridges between the East
and the West, based on love and appreciation," he said.


5. (U) PM Maliki expressed "great confidence in the abilities
of Iraqi physicians," but acknowledged they need to update
their skills after so many years of isolation. The Secretary
emphasized the American people feel a real partnership with
Iraq, as evidenced by the overwhelmingly positive reaction
when he asked U.S. associations of doctors and hospitals if
they were interested in establishing ties with counterparts
in Iraq. The commitment of the United States to help "is in
the hearts of our people," he said, and indicated the
long-term goal of U.S.-Iraqi cooperation in health should be
to restore Iraq's traditional prominence as a regional leader
in the sector. The Prime Minister agreed that "cooperation
in health would be one of the best symbols of peace and
friendship between our two nations."

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"Complexities Appeared" Which Complicate SOFA Passage
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BAGHDAD 00003385 002 OF 002




6. (C) Secretary Leavitt, encouraging quick passage of the
SOFA, noted the United States is entering a "fragile period"
after the November election, when politics can be
"unpredictable." With both political and logistical
challenges involved in the transition between
administrations, "the process can become very slow and
tentative," he said. Secretary Leavitt cautioned that new
personnel, sometimes with little feel for the history and
background of an issue, could be less willing to decisively
engage this critical issue. "It is in no one's interest to
not have a completed agreement," he emphasized.


7. (C) PM Maliki, while heartily agreeing that an agreement
is in the interests of all countries in the region, noted
that "complexities have appeared recently." The situation
has become more difficult to predict, he said, "since
fluctuations in the energy market have confused things and
made it more difficult to plan." While he is "optimistic
about an agreement," he said international cooperation is
required to deal with these difficulties. "When freedom and
democracy arrive suddenly, those who benefit sometimes can
abuse those freedoms until they have had time to learn how to
use them," he said. "But we would rather suffer a century of
such problems rather than a single year of oppression or
dictatorship."


8. (C) Ambassador Crocker, noting the importance of health
cooperation in the Strategic Framework agreement and making
specific mention of HHS, also emphasized the role of
economic, security, and education cooperation. "This is an
agreement between peoples, not just governments," said
Ambassador Crocker. "And for us, it is the most important
agreement," added PM Maliki.


9. (U) The HHS delegation has cleared this cable.
CROCKER