IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI "SURPRISED" BY AL-MALIKI

S E C R E T RIYADH 000730 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/I E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2019 TAGS: IZ PREL PTER SA SUBJECT: IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI "SURPRISED" BY AL-MALIKI COMMENTS Classified By: CDA David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) SUMMARY: Iraqi Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ghanam al-Jumaili told Embassy Riyadh's Charg May 30 that he was "surprised" by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's public comments regarding the Saudis. He felt he had made good progress in the past few weeks improving Baghdad-Riyadh relations. He cited improving intelligence cooperation, discussions to open the border, and a pending parliamentary delegation as evidence. Ambassador al-Jumaili assumed that Saudi-Iraqi engagement would be discussed during President Obama's upcoming trip to Riyadh. Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister publicly rebutted al-Maliki's comments May 30. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- SURPRISED BY AL-MALIKI'S COMMENTS, SEEKING CLARIFICATION -------------- -------------- ¶2. (S) Ambassador al-Jumaili told CDA Rundell that he has made strides improving relations between Saudi Arabia and Iraq. He noted that he met with General Intelligence Presidency (GIP) Chief HRH Prince Muqrin bin Abdalaziz, who agreed to establish working level relationships with GIP's Iraqi counterparts. He added that the Saudis, based on his request to open the border, had agreed to establish and interagency committee to study the issue. He said the Saudis had also approved a visit by Iraqi parliamentarians, a development which would be announced in three weeks. ¶3. (S) In light of these initiatives, Ambassador al-Jumaili said he was surprised by al-Maliki's public statements. He observed that in all his conversations, he felt the Saudis have been receptive. Al-Jumaili stated that he is seeking clarification of al-Maliki's remarks from the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, and asked if Embassy Riyadh could also ask for interpretation from its Baghdad counterparts. ¶4. (S) Ambassador al-Jumaili commented that he assumed Saudi-Iraq engagement would be on the agenda for this Wednesday's meeting between President Obama and King Abdallah bin Abdalaziz. He opined that the Iraq portion of the conversation between the President and the King would not go far without some clarification of al-Maliki's statement. He added that he hoped to deliver this clarification back to the Saudis. -------------- SAUDI RESPONSE -------------- ¶5. (C) The Saudis replied quickly and publicly. Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior HRH Prince Nayef bin Abdalaziz May 30 publicly rejected al-Maliki's statements and denied that Saudis are infiltrating into Iraq. Nayef in turn blamed the Iraqi government for doing too little to secure its border and claimed that Iraqis are sneaking into Saudi Arabia. Nayef is currently the second-ranking Saudi official in the kingdom while his brother, Crown Prince Sultan, convalesces in Morocco. RUNDELL