(C) PRT SALAH AD DIN: BAYJI OIL REFINERY DG

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 004015 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PINS KCRS IZ SUBJECT: (C) PRT SALAH AD DIN: BAYJI OIL REFINERY DG OBEIDI THREATENS RESIGNATION REF: BAGHDAD3166 Classified By: ECON Mike Dodman, reasons 1.4(b,d) ¶1. (U) This is a PRT Salah ad Din reporting cable. ¶2. (C) Bayji Oil Refinery (BOR) Director General Ali Obeidi informed JSS BOR officers on December 18 that he had submitted a letter resigning his position to the Ministry of Oil (MOO) and requesting that he be reassigned to a technical or advisory role at another location. In a subsequent meeting with JSS officers on December 20, Obeidi explained that he is tired of the responsibility and weary of the frequent threats to his personal safety that come with running the BOR. Obeidi offered no timeline for when he planned to leave his job, but said he is awaiting Minister Husayn al-Shahristani's response. In the meantime, he plans to remain in place. ¶3. (S/NF) COMMENT: Obeidi has been under intense personal strain and constant threat for several years as a result of his leadership of one of Iraq's most important strategic assets. According to the JSS officers and civilian personnel who work at the BOR, Obeidi appears sincere in his intent to resign. If Obeidi does indeed depart the BOR, we will need to work closely with Iraqi authorities to ensure the continuity of the systems and processes he has put in place to improve the integrity of distribution at the plant (reftel). END COMMENT. CROCKER