IRAQI EMBASSY OUTLINES REFUGEE RETURN INITIATIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000469 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/I, PRM/ANE E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018 TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL SY IZ SUBJECT: IRAQI EMBASSY OUTLINES REFUGEE RETURN INITIATIVE REF: A. 2007 DAMASCUS 1157 ¶B. COMEAU EMAIL TO NEA/ELA AND PRM JULY 2 2008 Classified By: Charge Michael Corbin for Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). ¶1. Summary: The June 23-26 visit of Ambassador Foley and his subsequent meeting with Iraqi diplomats highlighted the Iraqi government's ambitious plan to facilitate the return of significant numbers of Iraqi refugees residing in Syria. Iraqi diplomats here reported that the GOI is prepared to spend as much as USD 195 million to assist in the return of Iraqi refugees and provided documentation as to what support the returning Iraqis would receive. These benefits include a stipend, tax relief for returnees and possibly housing assistance and employment guarantees. Additionally, various Iraqi ministries are discussing how best to avoid a repeat of the problems related to these issues which marked the return of several thousand Iraqi refugees from Syria in November ¶2007. End Summary. ¶2. (C) During his recent visit to Damascus, Senior Coordinator for Iraqi Refugee Issues Ambassador James Foley had the opportunity to address Iraqi diplomats on the need for the GOI to contribute to UN appeals supporting Iraqi refugees in the region. While the Iraqi diplomats did not respond to Foley's specific concerns regarding support of UN efforts in Syria, the Iraqi Embassy elaborated on the details of the GOI's plan, as recently reported in open sources, to repatriate Iraqi refugees. The Iraqi Charge d' Affairs Sawadi Abd al-Aziz reported that his efforts were focused on providing assistance and support for those seeking to return to Iraq, as per the instructions of his government, although he noted his personal view that more needed to be don to assist Iraqi refugees in Syria. ¶3. (C) Iraqi diplomats and International Organization on Migration (IOM) representatives reported that they have consulted one another regarding how best to implement a robust and sound repatriation project. Planning is in its preliminary phase, according to sources in both camps, but the Iraqi representatives appear mindful of UN and U.S. concerns regarding a mass return of refugees. By joining with IOM and coordinating with the UN, the Iraqi Embassy says it is seeking to mitigate problems may have arisen after several thousand Iraqis returned by bus from Syria in October 2007, according to an Iraqi diplomat (ref A). (Note: The U.S. and UN observed that many of the returnees faced housing problems, a lack of jobs, health, education, and social services.) While the Iraqi diplomats here expressed a desire to see the implementation of the resettlement program in short order, they offered no time table as to when such efforts would begin. According to an Iraqi diplomat, the details are still being "worked out" with the various ministries of interest in Baghdad (among others, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Education, Health and Finance). ¶4. (C) An Iraqi diplomat passed to us the instructions sent from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Iraqi Embassies in countries hosting Iraqi refugees, detailing the steps that should be taken to facilitate the returns. According to the instructions, the government of Iraq has set aside USD 195 million to help in the resettlement of Iraqi refugees. Each family will receive roughly USD 1,000 (an entire family must return in order to receive the funding) and will be provided tax relief. While the document makes no mention of housing or job placement assistance, Iraqi diplomats noted that they expected the Iraqi government to address and provide relief on these critical issues. (A translated text of the communique was sent via e-mail to NEA and PRM, ref B). ¶5. (C) Comment: While the Iraqi CDA is following instructions to focus on returns we get the sense his Embassy here is trying to more to assist the Iraqi refugees who are here and unlikely to return to Iraq for some time. End Comment. CORBIN