Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAGHDAD815
2009-03-25 15:17:00
SECRET
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

IRAQI NSC DISCUSSES TURKISH VISIT, COMBATING

Tags:  PREL PGOV MARR SA IZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9562
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0815/01 0841517
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 251517Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2379
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 000815 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2029
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR SA IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI NSC DISCUSSES TURKISH VISIT, COMBATING
TERRORISM, AND CAMP ASHRAF

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Patricia Butenis for reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d).

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 000815

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2029
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR SA IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI NSC DISCUSSES TURKISH VISIT, COMBATING
TERRORISM, AND CAMP ASHRAF

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Patricia Butenis for reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d).


1. (S) Summary: At the April 22 National Security Council
meeting, Prime Minister Maliki warned security agencies
against complacency in the fight against violence, and said
he would visit key provinces to meet with local leaders,
including Basrah, Ninewa and Diyala. He expressed concern
that al-Qaida will step up attacks in May. FM Zebari noted
that the Turkish government, during President Gul's visit
this week, may bring up requests to pursue suspects into
Iraqi territory. The group discussed the need to increase
Iraq's intelligence capability as the U.S. withdraws,
including the need to focus on psychological operations
against terrorists and militias. National Security Advisor
Muwafaq Rubaie argued that the GOI needs to move Camp Ashraf
residents to a location away from the Iran border, but the
Minister of Defense objected due to a lack of money or an
appropriate facility. Finally, the National Intelligence
Service took Rubaie to task for an interview in which Rubaie
purportedly accused the NIS of being affiliated with the USG.
End Summary.

PM Warns against Relaxing in Fight Against Violence
-------------- --------------


2. (C) Prime Minister Maliki began the meeting with a topic
not on the published agenda. He noted that he receives daily
threat reports concerning militias and terrorists. Despite
improvements in overall security, Maliki warned that
achievements must be protected and said that some are
relaxing. He stressed that the security apparatus cannot
rest as long as a danger exists. Maliki said he would
personally travel to provinces in which security is more of a
challenge, including Basrah, Ninewa and Diyala, and will meet
with the military and political leadership. Maliki said that
when he visits the governorates, if there needs to be a
change in leadership, he will take appropriate action. In
addition, he said that there must be appropriate incentives
for police officers.


3. (C) The Interior Minister noted that there has been an
increase in the level of organized crime, and that there is a

need to raise the morale of members of the security forces.
That would be helped, he stressed, by a visit from the PM.
The Minister of Defense added that the GOI needed to further
develop its intelligence capabilities.


4. (C) The PM said that he would first go to Basrah, then
Amarah. Regarding Baghdad, he expressed confidence that the
situation is going well. The Minister of Defense added that
while there have been some recent attacks, overall the
situation has improved. He stressed that the quantity and
quality of attacks has declined. Many attacks involve sticky
bombs, explosive belts, or firing weapons from cars. The PM
expressed concern that al-Qaida will restart operations in
May, and may attempt to time its attacks to the movement of
U.S. troops to their bases.


5. (C) In terms of dealing with detainees, the Minister of
Defense and Minister of Justice stressed that while it was
important to have a public relations campaign against the
terrorists and militias, they could not put them on
television before they are convicted.

Intelligence Apparatus
--------------


6. (C) The representative from Iraq's National Intelligence
Service said that there are weaknesses in Iraq's intelligence
system, noting that some detainees who had been released have
returned to terrorism. The PM said that there needs to be an
update of the GOI's information system, and that the GOI
Qupdate of the GOI's information system, and that the GOI
should ask coalition forces to review the files of those
proposed for release. He also commented that the prisons
have become a school for terrorists.

Visit of Turkish President
--------------


7. (C) Foreign Minister Zebari noted that the Turkish
President would be visiting this week, and said that the
Turks had sent several notes to the MFA requesting
authorization to pursue terrorists inside Iraqi territory.
Zebari said that the MFA's position was that the leadership
of the two countries must coordinate on issues such as this,
but warned the PM that this issue could come up during
President Gul's visit. The Minister of Interior mentioned
that the Turks had also sent a memo to the MOI concerning
increasing cooperation on combating terrorism and smuggling
of weapons. MOI also stressed that pursuit of terrorists
across the border had to be coordinated between the two

BAGHDAD 00000815 002 OF 003


sides. PM Maliki said he would raise with the Turks the
Turkish incursion into Dahuk. (Comment: We believe this
reference to an "incursion into Dahuk" is an imprecise
reference to ongoing Turkish artillery and air attacks on the
PKK in northern Iraq; we are unaware of any recent Turkish
ground incursion into Dahuk. End Comment.)

Psychological Operations
--------------


8. (C) A Ministry of Defense General commented that there is
an insufficient emphasis on psychological operations to
reduce the appeal of terrorism or militias. He said that
there is also a lack of intelligence resources such as
ballons, unmanned aircraft, and other reconnaissance methods.
The General underlined that with the upcoming withdrawal of
U.S. forces, it is important that Iraq develop this
capability. National Security Advisor Rubaie agreed that
there needs to be a plan to conduct psychological operations,
to influence the behavior of enemy groups and gain the
confidence of the population. He also commented that some
media outlets have an interest in publicizing negative
information. Consequently, it is important to demonstrate
the power and unity of the government.


9. (C) The PM said that a psychological operations plan
should include a range of ministries, including the Ministry
of Education, and should consider how to use the media. If
this is not handled correctly, the PM warned, it could lead
to negative results. He also stressed the need for
intelligence agencies to coordinate better with investigative
agencies.

Draft Saudi Agreement on Exchanging Prisoners
--------------


10. (C) The discussion turned to the pending agreement with
Saudi Arabia regarding Iraqi prisoners in Saudi custody.
There was a discussion of the disagreement over who from the
GOI would chair the joint committee that was established to
review and negotiate the agreement. PM Maliki directed that
the Council of Ministers Secretariat be informed that the
Minister of Justice would chair the committee for Iraq.

Khor Al-Amaya Seaport
--------------


11. (C) FM Zebari noted that the GOI has received three
memorandums from the Iranian government claiming that part of
the Khor al-Amaya oil terminal (KAAOT) is in Iranian
territorial waters. He said that this is a vital issue for
Iraq that could develop into a problem. There was some
discussion whether KAAOT was the facility at issue. The PM
noted that KAAOT has been with Iraq for the past 60 years,
and that the GOI "must reject" any questions regarding its
authority over the facility. He stressed that the GOI
"should not give the impression that we accept this" claim.

Camp Ashraf
--------------


12. (C) The National Security Advisor's staff briefed the
meeting on a report regarding Camp Ashraf and the presence of
MEK residents. They recommended that - due to the Camp's
proximity to the Iranian border and Iranian interference -
the residents be transferred to another location far from the
Iran border (for example to Anbar in the west of Iraq). The
Minister of Defense objected vociferously to this suggestion,
stressing that he had neither the money nor an appropriate
facility to assume responsibility for the MEK currently at
Camp Ashraf. He asked what the GOI would do if MEK members
refused the transfer, and raised questions whether it was
appropriate from a security standpoint to place the MEK
members in Anbar. The Minister of Interior asked whether
there were residents who would object to moving.


13. (C) FM Zebari noted that MEK is a very sensitive subject
Q13. (C) FM Zebari noted that MEK is a very sensitive subject
and that the group has an effective public relations
organization with offices abroad. He stressed that it was
also important that the GOI keep its commitments to the U.S.
regarding the treatment of MEK. The PM responded that the
GOI needs to clarify the situation for the media and not
allow MEK to escalate the situation publicly. NSA Rubaie
asked whether the GOI could separate the MEK leaders from the
majority of Ashraf residents, who are innocent. He stressed
that only about 15-20 residents are leaders. He emphasized
that it is critical to keep the MEK away from Iran, as Iran
uses this issue as a pretext to intervene in Iraq. The PM
concluded by saying that Iraq is not the MEK's home, the GOI
must remain committed to its human rights obligations, the
GOI should continue to seek opportunities to transfer MEK
members to countries that will take them, and the GOI must

BAGHDAD 00000815 003 OF 003


prevent interference from Iran.

Media Interview by NSA Rubaie
--------------


14. (S) The representative of the National Intelligence
Service (NIS) then (angrily) raised a media interview that
NSA Rubaie had recently given in which it was alleged that
the NIS is affiliated with the USG and that the security
apparatus could pose a danger to democracy. The NIS
representative said that the NIS is affiliated with the PM
and GOI, and that the meeting with journalists did not serve
Iraq's interests. Who, he asked, does not have American
advisors?


15. (S) The PM expressed sympathy with the NIS
representative's comments, noting that the GOI needs to
repair the intelligence apparatus. He suggested that the NIS
meet privately with him to discuss the issue. The NIS
representative replied that he would meet alone with Rubaie.


16. (S) Rubaie said that the interview mischaracterized his
statements. He had given a history of the "apparatus" and
its "return to the GOI." He suggested that people listen to
the tape of the interview to get a full understanding of his
comments.
BUTENIS