Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAGHDAD1655
2009-06-23 10:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
EMBASSY DISCUSSES TIP WITH MFA
how-toVZCZCXRO6567 PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHGB #1655 1741029 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 231029Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3604 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BAGHDAD 001655
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KTIP KWMN KLPM PHUM PREL ELAB SMIG IZ
SUBJECT: EMBASSY DISCUSSES TIP WITH MFA
REF: BAGHDAD 1580
This message is Sensitive but Unclassified; handle
accordingly. Not for distribution on the Internet.
UNCLAS BAGHDAD 001655
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KTIP KWMN KLPM PHUM PREL ELAB SMIG IZ
SUBJECT: EMBASSY DISCUSSES TIP WITH MFA
REF: BAGHDAD 1580
This message is Sensitive but Unclassified; handle
accordingly. Not for distribution on the Internet.
1. (SBU) On June 22, we delivered the 2009 Trafficking in
Persons (TIP) report to Minister Plenipotentiary Mohamed
Alhamaimidi, the head of the North America desk at the MFA.
We informed Alhamaimidi that the Department had evaluated and
ranked Iraq as it does other countries, not as a special
case, as had been done in previous years. We informed
Alhamaimidi that Iraq has been ranked as a Tier 2 Watch List
country and explained the implications of this, including the
possible sanctions and waivers involved if a country moves
into Tier 3 status. Deputy Political Counselor described
steps that the GOI must take to improve its ranking, such as
passing anti-TIP legislation, prosecuting violators, and
protecting victims.
2. (SBU) Alhamaimidi acknowledged that Iraq does have a TIP
problem and confirmed what the Minister of Human Rights had
told us on June 16 (reftel A) that the MFA had received a
letter from the Government of Syria detailing a group of
young Iraqi girls who had been trafficked for the purposes of
prostitution and had subsequently been imprisoned.
Alhamaimidi said that he was going to raise the issue with
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to
see if they could provide legal assistance in these types of
cases.
3. (SBU) At the same time, Alhamaimidi seemed surprised when
we raised the issue of third-country nationals who are
trafficked into Iraq for purposes of labor exploitation. He
claimed that the GOI had nothing to do with this issue and
thus could not be held responsible. We responded that the
report did not accuse the GOI of being involved in labor
trafficking, but noted that the GOI needed to do more to
provide assistance to victims and punish those responsible.
We will continue to raise the issue of TIP with the GOI.
FORD
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KTIP KWMN KLPM PHUM PREL ELAB SMIG IZ
SUBJECT: EMBASSY DISCUSSES TIP WITH MFA
REF: BAGHDAD 1580
This message is Sensitive but Unclassified; handle
accordingly. Not for distribution on the Internet.
1. (SBU) On June 22, we delivered the 2009 Trafficking in
Persons (TIP) report to Minister Plenipotentiary Mohamed
Alhamaimidi, the head of the North America desk at the MFA.
We informed Alhamaimidi that the Department had evaluated and
ranked Iraq as it does other countries, not as a special
case, as had been done in previous years. We informed
Alhamaimidi that Iraq has been ranked as a Tier 2 Watch List
country and explained the implications of this, including the
possible sanctions and waivers involved if a country moves
into Tier 3 status. Deputy Political Counselor described
steps that the GOI must take to improve its ranking, such as
passing anti-TIP legislation, prosecuting violators, and
protecting victims.
2. (SBU) Alhamaimidi acknowledged that Iraq does have a TIP
problem and confirmed what the Minister of Human Rights had
told us on June 16 (reftel A) that the MFA had received a
letter from the Government of Syria detailing a group of
young Iraqi girls who had been trafficked for the purposes of
prostitution and had subsequently been imprisoned.
Alhamaimidi said that he was going to raise the issue with
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to
see if they could provide legal assistance in these types of
cases.
3. (SBU) At the same time, Alhamaimidi seemed surprised when
we raised the issue of third-country nationals who are
trafficked into Iraq for purposes of labor exploitation. He
claimed that the GOI had nothing to do with this issue and
thus could not be held responsible. We responded that the
report did not accuse the GOI of being involved in labor
trafficking, but noted that the GOI needed to do more to
provide assistance to victims and punish those responsible.
We will continue to raise the issue of TIP with the GOI.
FORD