58 IRAQI AMBASSADORS CONFIRMED BY PARLIAMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002056 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ KU SUBJECT: 58 IRAQI AMBASSADORS CONFIRMED BY PARLIAMENT REF: BAGHDAD 1821 Classified By: Political Counselor Yuri Kim for Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On July 21 and 23, the Iraqi Parliament confirmed the ambassadorial nominations of 58 individuals representing a broad cross-section of Iraq's political parties. Thair Hussein, an aide to Deputy FM Labid Abbawi, and Azhar Hussein, a senior Protocol Officer at the MFA, told us that none of the nominees has yet been officially assigned a country. Neither Thair and Azhar could confirm that Mohamed Bahr al-Uloom had been assigned to be Iraq's next ambassador to Kuwait as previously reported (reftel). Although speculation abounds as to who will go where, according to Thair and Azhar, country assignments will be made after FM Zebari returns to Iraq and has consulted with PM Maliki and President Talabani; a specific timeline has not been set. We emphasized the need for prompt action, especially in relation to the appointment of an Ambassador to Kuwait. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: The Iraqi Parliament's confirmation of 58 new ambassadors is a major step forward for the GOI in its attempts to improve its relations with neighbors and around the world. We believe that the appointment of an ambassador to Kuwait is vital to improving Iraq-Kuwait relations and could pave the way for movement on Chapter VII sanctions. We will continue to press for an official announcement from the MFA to name and dispatch its ambassador to Kuwait as soon as possible. END COMMENT. FORD