INTERNATIONAL COMPACT WITH IRAQ MEETING SET FOR

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 002869 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EFIN IZ PGOV PREL SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL COMPACT WITH IRAQ MEETING SET FOR NOVEMBER 7 REF: BAGHDAD 2633 Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) The GOI has agreed to an International Compact with Iraq (ICI) meeting on Novmeber 7, UNAMI Senior Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Ad Melkert has told donor countries. Melkert said this meeting would "mark the transition to the next new stage of interaction between the Government and Iraq,s partners, with the GOI in the lead.8 Melkert said UNAMI would work with the GOI on the meeting preparations and that UNAMI would keep donors informed. Based on extensive conversations with the donor countries and UNAMI, post expects the meeting to be at the ambassadorial level. ¶2. (SBU) Melkert earlier told the GOI in an October 18 letter (shared with us on October 21 and emailed to the desk) that a new Iraq/donor partnership was needed that "recognizes the GOI's lead in defining development priorities." Melkert urged that the "highest level of government" should guide the national planning process, and that the National Development Plan (NDP) ) which would be implemented through a single planning and budget process ) could form the basis of cooperation between Iraq and its partners. He also suggested that the GOI create a single donor coordination body that would harmonize the donors' strategies with the GOI's development agenda. ¶3. (SBU) For the November 7 meeting, Melkert has suggested that agenda include: the GOI's preparations on the NDP, the GOI's social and economic policy direction, ongoing reforms based upon ICI achievements, the way forward for stronger coordination of policies among the GOI and international partners, and follow-up in the transition period around the upcoming elections. (Comment: The ICI meeting will coincide with the NDP Workshop in Erbil, scheduled for November 5-8, and is followed by the Ninth International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) Meeting already slated for November 8. End Comment.) HILL