PRT MAYSAN MEETS WITH GOVERNOR FOR FIRST TIME

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 000614 SIPDIS SBU SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV IZ SUBJECT: PRT MAYSAN MEETS WITH GOVERNOR FOR FIRST TIME ¶1. (SBU) THIS IS A PRT MAYSAN REPORTING CABLE. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: ON FEBRUARY 25 MAYSAN PRT MET WITH GOVERNOR ADIL MOHUDER RADI AL-MALIKI AND HIS SENIOR ADVISOR, ZAID HOSHI AL-KALLAF TO DISCUSS SECURITY, ONGOING PROJECTS, AND TEAM ACCESS TO THE PROVINCE. THE PRT PRESSED THE GOVERNOR ON THE ISSUE OF ACCESS, A POINT THE GOVERNOR ACKNOWLEDGED BUT WAS RELUCTANT TO COMMIT TO SPECIFICS GIVEN THE THREAT OF "GANGS AND FUGITIVES." GOVERNOR ADIL SAID MAYSAN HAD "MOVED FORWARD" BUT NEEDED IDEAS AND EXPERIENCE FROM THE PRT. HE BELIEVES HE HAS BUILT A SYSTEM FOR BRINGING ONGOING PROJECTS TO CONCLUSION AND SEEKS PRT ASSISTANCE TRAINING MAYSANI ENGINEERS TO DEVELOP CRITICAL-NEED SKILL SETS; PARTICULARLY SKILLS WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES. HE ALSO SEEKS FUNDING FOR NEW PROJECTS. END SUMMARY. PRT ACCESS TO MAYSAN -------------- ¶3. (SBU) THE PRT PRESSED THE GOVERNOR ON THE ISSUE OF ACCESS TO THE PROVINCE, EXPLAINING THAT, WHILE MAYSANI ENGINEERS WERE CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF PROJECTS IN MAYSAN, THE US GOVERNMENT HAD STRICT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MONITORING OF PROJECTS THAT IT FUNDS. THE GOVERNOR AGREED IN PRINCIPLE ON THE NEED FOR PRT ACCESS TO MAYSAN AND SAID THAT HE WAS "READY TO COOPERATE FOR ANY VISIT AT ANY TIME." HOWEVER, HE CONTINUED, THERE EXIST COMPLICATIONS THAT DEMAND A "CAUTIOUS AND CAREFUL" APPROACH TO ENTRY TO THE PROVINCE. &THERE ARE GROUPS THAT WANT TO BUILD A BARRIER BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRT,8 HE ELABORATED, "TO GENERATE CHAOS AND ALLOW INTERNATIONAL ACTORS TO MOVE FURTHER INTO MAYSAN. ILLEGAL THINGS ARE NOT BEING DONE BY MAYSANIS, BUT BY FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS." THE GOVERNOR REPEATEDLY MENTIONED THE THREAT POSED BY "GANGS AND GROUPS" CONTROLLED BY OUTSIDE ELEMENTS, ALTHOUGH HE ASSERTED THAT THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT WAS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO "DO AWAY WITH THESE GANGS AND FUGITIVES." HE CONCLUDED THAT EVEN AS HE WORKS AGAINST THESE OUTSIDE FORCES HE MUST NOT IMPERIL HIS POPULATION. ¶4. (SBU) THE TEAM REGIONAL SECURITY OFFICER SUGGESTED ESTABLISHING A SECURITY COUNTERPART FOR THE TEAM TO COORDINATE MEETING AND SECURITY DETAILS. GOVERNOR ADIL AGREED AND SAID HE WOULD WORK WITH THE "CHIEF OF ARMY" TO IDENTIFY A SECURITY POINT OF CONTACT. PROJECT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM -------------- ¶5. (SBU) THE GOVERNOR OUTLINED A PROJECT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT HE SAID ENSURES ADEQUATE COORDINATION AND SUPERVISION FOR PROJECTS IN MAYSAN. THE SYSTEM HINGES ON A CENTER OF PLANNING AND STRATEGY, COMPRISED OF A COORDINATION DEPARTMENT, CONSULTANT COMMITTEE, AND SUPERVISING OFFICE. HEADED BY MR. ZAID, THE COORDINATION DEPARTMENT MANAGES THE MULTITUDE OF PROJECTS STAGING IN MAYSAN PROVINCE. THE CONSULTANT COMMITTEE DECIDES WHICH PROJECTS TO PURSUE BASED ON THE TECHNICAL DETAILS OF EACH PROJECT. FINALLY, THE CENTER OF PLANNING AND STRATEGY,S SUPERVISING OFFICE, MADE UP OF 150 IRAQI ENGINEERS, SUPERVISES WORKERS ON PROJECT SITES AND CARRIES OUT PROJECTS DESIGNED IN THE CONSULTANT COMMITTEE. COMMENT: GOVERNOR KEEPING PRT AT ARM,S LENGTH -------------- ¶6. (SBU) IT IS CLEAR THE GOVERNOR APPRECIATES THE PRT / GRS NEED FOR PHYSICAL ACCESS TO THE PROVINCE. WHAT IS EQUALLY CLEAR IS HIS RELUCTANCE TO EXTEND A CONCRETE INVITATION TO VISIT. END COMMENT. CROCKER