Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAGHDAD2077
2009-08-03 09:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
OIL FOR FOOD CONTRACTS
how-toVZCZCXRO2992 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHGB #2077 2150932 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 030932Z AUG 09 FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4173 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0847
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002077
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2019
TAGS: ECON EFIN EPET IZ KCOR PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: OIL FOR FOOD CONTRACTS
REF: BAGHDAD 1390
Classified By: Economic Director Michael Dodman, reasons 1.4 b,d.
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002077
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2019
TAGS: ECON EFIN EPET IZ KCOR PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: OIL FOR FOOD CONTRACTS
REF: BAGHDAD 1390
Classified By: Economic Director Michael Dodman, reasons 1.4 b,d.
1. (C) Summary: Iraq hopes to resolve the remaining Oil for
Food (OFF) contracts by the end of the year, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MFA) Chief of Staff Srood Najib told EMIN on
July 29. Najib estimated that 50 outstanding OFF contracts
remain -- down from 80 in April -- and promised to send the
Embassy a list of the cases. He also said MFA officials
would soon contact the Embassy to discuss inventorying the
OFF documents in USG possession and moving them to a new
location under Iraqi control. End Summary
2. (C) In a July 29 meeting, Ambassador Najib told us that
Prime Minister Maliki had sent letters to the ministries
involved in the remaining OFF contracts. The letters, Najib
said, instructed the ministries to report to the MFA on the
status of the disputed contracts by early August and to
resolve them before 2010. Otherwise, the GOI planned to cut
the ministries' budgets by the amounts of the unresolved
contracts, Najib said. He commented that nearly all the
outstanding files belong to three
ministries: Trade, Oil, and Agriculture.
3. (C) Najib also stated that the GOI wants to take control
of the OFF documents still under Embassy control "as soon as
possible" and store them at the MFA. He said MFA officials
and administrative staff members would contact the Embassy in
the next few days to discuss inventorying and then safely
moving them to a secure location. Najib added that two U.S.
lawyers hired by the GOI are pursuing 92 cases involving
alleged violations of Iraqi and U.S. laws relating to the OFF
program. These lawyers have sought access to the OFF files
currently maintained by the embassy; Najib requested that any
access for these lawyers be first coordinated with him.
FORD
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2019
TAGS: ECON EFIN EPET IZ KCOR PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: OIL FOR FOOD CONTRACTS
REF: BAGHDAD 1390
Classified By: Economic Director Michael Dodman, reasons 1.4 b,d.
1. (C) Summary: Iraq hopes to resolve the remaining Oil for
Food (OFF) contracts by the end of the year, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MFA) Chief of Staff Srood Najib told EMIN on
July 29. Najib estimated that 50 outstanding OFF contracts
remain -- down from 80 in April -- and promised to send the
Embassy a list of the cases. He also said MFA officials
would soon contact the Embassy to discuss inventorying the
OFF documents in USG possession and moving them to a new
location under Iraqi control. End Summary
2. (C) In a July 29 meeting, Ambassador Najib told us that
Prime Minister Maliki had sent letters to the ministries
involved in the remaining OFF contracts. The letters, Najib
said, instructed the ministries to report to the MFA on the
status of the disputed contracts by early August and to
resolve them before 2010. Otherwise, the GOI planned to cut
the ministries' budgets by the amounts of the unresolved
contracts, Najib said. He commented that nearly all the
outstanding files belong to three
ministries: Trade, Oil, and Agriculture.
3. (C) Najib also stated that the GOI wants to take control
of the OFF documents still under Embassy control "as soon as
possible" and store them at the MFA. He said MFA officials
and administrative staff members would contact the Embassy in
the next few days to discuss inventorying and then safely
moving them to a secure location. Najib added that two U.S.
lawyers hired by the GOI are pursuing 92 cases involving
alleged violations of Iraqi and U.S. laws relating to the OFF
program. These lawyers have sought access to the OFF files
currently maintained by the embassy; Najib requested that any
access for these lawyers be first coordinated with him.
FORD