CHINA TRAINS IRAQI ARMY PERSONNEL IN DEMINING

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002715

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/I, NEA/I/PM
DEPT ALSO FOR PM/WRA
DEPT ALSO FOR EAP/CM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2019
TAGS: PINR PREL PARM EPET KHDP AF CH IZ
SUBJECT: CHINA TRAINS IRAQI ARMY PERSONNEL IN DEMINING

REF: BAGHDAD 1920 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Pol-Mil Minister-Counselor Cameron Munter for reasons 1.
4 b,d


1. (C) SUMMARY: The Chinese Defense Attach to Iraq confirmed
September 21 that the Chinese military is providing training
in demining to approximately 20 Iraqi Army officers and 20
Afghan Army officers in the vicinity of Nanjing. People's
Republic of China (PRC) Defense Attach Senior COL Wang
Ruizheng welcomed two U.S. miloffs and Pol-Mil officer to
lunch at the Al-Mansour Hotel in Baghdad, where the Chinese
Embassy is temporarily located, for a wide-ranging
discussion. According to COL Wang, the PRC Ministry of
Foreign Affairs organized the training, and the People's
Liberation Army (PLA) is providing the course, which is
intended to last six to eight weeks. COL Wang contradicted
aspects of the September 15-16 media reports, however, in
claiming that the project was not intended to improve Chinese
oil production in projects such as Ahdab (in Wasit Province)
or to curry favor with Wasit locals because, he said, the
Iraqis would decide where and how to deploy the newly trained
officers.


2. (C) COL Wang characterized the initiative as a limited,
military-focused (rather than humanitarian) demining
assistance project that presents a rare opportunity for China
to engage with Iraqis militarily. The course, he said, began
in mid-September, is conducted in English, and combines
classroom theory and practical fieldwork. Upon completion of
the course, the units of the Iraqi officers would receive an
undisclosed amount of demining equipment from China. COL
Wang said that at this point there were no specific plans to
provide additional demining classes, although the Chinese
government would be open to providing continued assistance if
the Iraqis were.


3. (C) COMMENT: The project, as initially reported in the
media, interested Post because it potentially implied: a)
increased Chinese engagement with Iraq; b) particularly,
military-to-military interaction; c) an impact on Iraqi oil
production and Chinese National Petroleum Corporation
operations here; and d) overlap with USG efforts to increase
demining operations (reftel). On all scores, the relevance
of the Chinese demining assistance appears still minor. That
said, it would strain credulity to accept the notion that the
PRC is offering the training without ulterior motives or
additional interests. Given the possibility that China
intends to gain more influence with the Iraqi military where
it has oil interests and where the U.S. military is heavily
engaged, we will continue to monitor developments. END
COMMENT.

HILL