UPDATE ON ICI PROGRESS IN STOCKHOLM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000321

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EUR FOR NB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON UN EU IZ SE
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON ICI PROGRESS IN STOCKHOLM

REF: STOCKHOLM 310

Classified By: DCM Robert Silverman for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D).


1. (C) Summary: Belfrage said the main message to send out of
the ICI is that Europe has turned the page on Iraq and is now
looking forward. (He commented that while it might be
difficult to get European FMs to say this publicly, their
attendance would send the right signal.) At the April 29
GAERC luncheon, FM Bildt urged foreign minister ICI
participation, and received general support, but no new
commitments. The Arab League Secretary General plans to
attend the ICI. He reiterated the request for the U.S.
support to on both European and Gulf Arab FM attendance. End
summary.

IRFFI
--------------

2. (C) On April 30, the DCM discussed recent events
surrounding the ICI with MFA State Secretary Frank Belfrage
and MFA Director for the Middle East Peter Tejler. The DCM
delivered a solid message to Belfrage that the U.S. agrees
with Iraq DPM Barham Salih that the IRFFI should not be held
around the ICI. Belfrage understood the message. Tejler
added that there should be a development perspective at the
ICI, and suggested discussion of the UNDP Report on Iraq as a
good alternative to IRFFI.

ICI Message and Agenda
--------------


3. (C) Belfrage said Amb. Trouve met with PM Maliki and DPM
Barham Salih over the weekend in Iraq. Maliki seemed to
understand the importance of showing progress prior to the
ICI, and told Trouve that election legislation will be ready,
and the hydrocarbon legislation, while not complete, will
show real progress and a sense of direction. The Swedes want
the ICI to send a strong message of Iraqi progress, including:

-- Iraq is on its way to mending internal fences.
-- The role of the central government is strengthening.
-- The international community supports the steps Iraq is
taking.
-- Europe has turned the page on Iraq and is now looking
forward. (Belfrage commented that it will be hard to get
European FMS to say this, but their attendance would send the
right signal.)


4. (C) The Swedes told us that according to a distributed
rough draft of the UN ICI Agenda, the current timeline is as
follows:

-- 10.00: Opening remarks by UN Secretary General, followed
by Welcome Note by PM Reinfeldt, then an address by PM Maliki
or Barham Salih.
-- Lunch.
-- Speeches by delegations represented at the ministerial
level.
-- 17.30: End of conference, press event immediately follows.
-- 19.00: Reception hosted by PM Reinfeldt, with possible
guest appearance by King Carl XVI Gustav.

EU/GAERC
--------------


5. (C) The Swedes continue to push EU members to send FMs to
the ICI. Belfrage said a large number of FMs will send a
potential message to the EU Commission and facilitate a
positive response. FM Carl Bildt urged high-level ICI
attendance at the GAERC FM luncheon. The European FMs liked
the idea, but have not yet committed, according to Belfrage.
The May 26 GAERC will discuss the ICI in greater detail;
meanwhile, EU working groups will have begun to hammer out
the policy details regarding the ICI. Having major EU member
FMs in attendance is the best way to get an EC deliverable,
Belfrage concluded.

Attendance Update
--------------


6. (C) Belfrage said that it is hard to predict the
attendance at this point, but after the Neighbor Conference
in Kuwait, there is a greater sense of need to show a good
neighbor presence. Belfrage noted that Arab League Secretary
General, Amre Mousa, will attend and will urge other Arab
nations to send FMs.

Comment
--------------

STOCKHOLM 00000321 002 OF 002




7. (SBU) The Swedes would like to target the FMs of two
neighbor countries for advocacy: Turkey's Ali Babacan and
Saudi Arabia's Saud Al Faisal.
WOOD