DFM ABBAWI ON BORDER SECURITY WORKING GROUP, THE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000806 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2018 TAGS: PBTS PREL PTER EG IR IZ LE RU SY SUBJECT: DFM ABBAWI ON BORDER SECURITY WORKING GROUP, THE ARAB LEAGUE, SYRIA, AND IRAN REF: BAGHDAD 744 BAGHDAD 00000806 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: POL-MIL MINISTER-COUNSELOR MARCIE B. RIES, REASONS 1.4(B ) AND (D) ¶1. (S) SUMMARY: In a March 16 call on Pol-Mil M/C, Iraqi DFM Labeed Abbawi discussed preparations for the next Border Security Working Group in Damascus and Iraqi participation in the Arab League Summit. PM Maliki would lead Iraq's delegation to the latter in what Abbawi attempted to portray as "low-profile" participation. Abbawi agreed to raise foreign terrorist infiltration with Syria during upcoming engagements while revealing that he felt Iranian activities were currently of more concern. He further discussed diplomatic steps to address the PKK problem, was briefed on a U.S. proposal to open a new border crossing with Kuwait to supply Camp Bucca, and noted that Russian DFM Saltanov and the chairman of Lukoil would be visiting Baghdad March 24-25. END SUMMARY. -------------- BORDER SECURITY WORKING GROUP IN APRIL -------------- ¶2. (S) Abbawi related that Syria had offered to host the next Border Security Working Group in Damascus in the time frame April 10-15. He would gather his team to review the potential agenda in a few days and requested input from the U.S., to which Pol-Mil M/C readily agreed. She suggested that Iraq focus on specific concrete measures which had a realistic chance of being implemented. -------------- MALIKI TO ATTEND ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT -------------- ¶3. (S) Abbawi revealed that PM Maliki, FM Zebari, Minister of Trade al-Sudani, and himself would represent Iraq at the Arab League Summit in what he described as a "low-profile" delegation. Pol-Mil M/C emphasized the very real concerns about the signal sent by high-level attendance, considering Syria's activities in Lebanon and questioned whether a delegation headed by the Prime Minister could realistically be described as "low-profile", even if he was, as Abbawi stated, fourth in protocol order after the president and the two vice-presidents. Abbawi admitted that it would be problematic if Lebanon's seat was empty due to a failure to elect a President by the time of the summit. -------------- APPROACHING SYRIA ON FOREIGN TERRORISTS -------------- ¶4. (S) Pol-Mil M/C emphasized that foreQn terrorists continued to flow into Iraq through Syria and suggested that the GOI again take this up with the SARG. Abbawi replied that he had been very direct with Syria at the first Border Security Working Group last August, eliciting displeasure from the Syrians and Iranians. He had emphasized the need for Syria to take action regarding foreign terrorists transiting Damascus Airport, and it appeared that they had taken some action in this regard. In order to ask for further action from the Syrians, he would need to provide specifics. Pol-Mil M/C promised to help Abbawi in this vein. NOTE: Post will work with MNF-I to provide updated briefings for DFM Abbawi and the Iraqi delegation to the Border Security Working Group regarding Syria's involvement with foreign terrorists and facilitators. END NOTE. -------------- IRANIAN PROVOCATIONS INCREASING -------------- ¶5. (S) Abbawi volunteered that he saw Iran's recent activities as more problematic than Syria's. Citing an upsurge in violence in al Kut and Basrah, a major discovery of rockets in Samawa, and reports of Iranian weapons entering BAGHDAD 00000806 002.2 OF 002 Basrah "by the truckload," Abbawi was clearly worried that Iran was attempting to escalate violence in Iraq. He posited that Iran might be trying to send a message to the U.S. or the GOI, and that Iran seemed to be feeling increasingly confident. Examples of this included Ahmadinejad's unwelcome rhetoric during his Iraq visit, Iran's nuclear intransigence, and its recent cross-border artillery bombardment of Qandil, all buttressed by what Abbawi saw as the strong showing of the hardliners in the Majles elections. Abbawi dismissed Iran's attempt at the recent OIC Summit to insert itself into diplomacy regarding the PKK through a proposal for trilateral Iran-Iraq-Turkey discussions. The PKK was not an Iranian problem, especially now that Turkey and Iraq had tacitly agreed on a way ahead, stated Abbawi. -------------- DIPLOMACY WITH TURKEY -------------- ¶6. (S) Abbawi confirmed that he expected Turkish Iraq Advisor Ozcelik to meet with KRG PM Nechirvan Barzani in Baghdad to discuss the PKK problem (reftel),an initiative which he described as "his idea." No date had been set for this visit, which would probably not be publicized in advance. The KRG felt that it was not receiving sufficient recognition from Turkey, but the Ozcelik visit could begin to change this perception. While expressing his favorable impression of Ozcelik, Abbawi opined that there was a split at the highest levels of the Turkish government, with the recent legal action to ban the AKP being the latest example. -------------- BUCCA BORDER CROSSING -------------- ¶7. (C) Pol-Mil M/C took the opportunity to explain to Abbawi that the U.S. had proposed that Kuwait open a new border crossing near Camp Bucca to greatly shorten the distance which logistics convoys would need to travel to support MNF-I's largest detention facility. The opening could also make it much easier for the ICRC to make regular visits to the facility. Abbawi reacted positively to the proposal. -------------- NEIGHBORS, EMBASSIES, RUSSIANS -------------- ¶8. (C) Abbawi revealed that all Gulf states would be invited to the April 22 Expanded Neighbors Ministerial in Kuwait. He said that Egypt had promised to send a delegation to Baghdad by the end of March to review security with a view to reopening its embassy and requested information regarding the Saudi proposed Baghdad embassy location so that he could follow up with them. Abbawi noted that Russian DFM Saltanov would be visiting March 24-25 and that he would be accompanied by the chairman of Lukoil. CROCKER