Secretary Clinton?s July 24, 2009 Higher

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 STATE 080762

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV EINV EPET SOCI OVIP CLINTON
HILLARY),IZ
SUBJECT: Secretary Clinton?s July 24, 2009 Higher
Coordination Committee Meeting with Iraq

REF: STATE 77718



1. Classified by NEA Acting Assistant Secretary Jeffrey
Feltman for Reason: 1.4 (d)


2. July 24, 2009; 3:30 PM; Washington, DC.


3. Participants:


U.S.
Secretary
Ambassador Christopher Hill
NEA A/S Feltman
PA A/S Philip Crowley
USAID A/A Alonzo Fulgham
DOJ D A/F David Ogden
U/S Judith McHale
Commerce A U/S Michelle O?Neal
Treasury A A/S Andrew Baukol
PRM A A/S Samuel Witten
USTR A/USTR Michael Delaney
STAS Dr. Nina Fedoroff
U/S Policy Michelle Flournoy
INL A/S David Johnson
USDA U/S Jim Miller
Ambassador Richard Morningstar
S Deputy COS Huma Abedian
S Exec Assistant Joe MacManus
OVP Herro Mustafa
NSC Molly Phee
D (S) Gautam Rana
HHS Mark Abdoo
EEB/CIP/BA Richard Beaird
DOE Al Hegburg
NEA Senior Advisor for Iraq and Regional Issues Elissa
Slotkin
NEA Note taker Donald Cooke
Translator Gemal Helal


Iraq
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki
Min. of Foreign Affairs Hoshyar Zebari
Minister of Defense Lt. Gen Abd al-Qadir
Minister of Interior Jawad Bolani
Ambassador Samir Sumadie?ie
NIC Chairman Sami al-Araji
Political Advisor Dr. Sadiq Rikabi
Media Advisor Yasin Majeed
Education Advisor Dr. Zuhair Hamadi
Economic Advisor Moyad Salih
Military Attache Ismael Al-Soudani
Iraq Cultural Attache Dr. Hadi Al-Khalili
Trade Attache Nawfal Alhasan
Ministry of Interior Chief of Staff
Note taker
Note taker



4. (C) SUMMARY. On July 24, Secretary Clinton hosted
the second meeting of the US-Iraq Higher Coordinating
Committee (HCC) organized under the Strategic Framework
Agreement (SFA). The HCC reviewed the major
accomplishments of the SFA working groups and four Joint
Coordinating Commitees (JCCs in the areas of services
and information technology (the Al-Qudas power plant
expansion, the Central Euphrates Farmers Market, and the
health program for Radiation Oncology),economic and
energy (technical assistance to the Ministry of Oil and
micro-financing programs),law enforcement and judicial
cooperation (exchanges with the FBI),as well as
cultural, educational, and scientific cooperation
(expansion of the Fulbright Program). Looking ahead,
the Iraqi delegation requested the U.S. alter the visa
category for Iraqi students (from F to J),review its
travel advisory, establish a new JCC on Diplomacy,
expand the Department?s role in civilian security
assistance, conclude a bilateral agreement on USAID
programs, and help get the story of Iraq's progress
across to the international press. The U.S. side urged
Iraq to ratify bilateral assistance and investment
agreements, pass a hydrocarbons law, conclude a
bilateral asset transfer agreement, and finalize
arrangements with GE on its sale of turbines. Both

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SUBJECT: Secretary Clinton?s July 24, 2009 Higher
Coordination Committee Meeting with Ir
sides agreed the next HCC meeting would be held in
Baghdad in 2010 to review SFA implementation activities.
END SUMMARY.



5. (C) The Secretary acknowledged the meetings of the
working groups and Joint Coordinating Committees (JCCs).
She said that the U.S. will continue to support Iraq as
it works to overcome the economic dislocation of two
decades of war and dictatorship. In that vein, she
applauded the success of the morning?s conference on
Iraq at the US Chamber of Commerce and the PM?s
announcement of a US-Iraq Business and Investment Summit
in October (reftel). She called upon Iraq to take the
steps needed, such as implementing commercial laws and
regulations, to improve the business climate in Iraq and
announced our hosting of the bilateral Dialogue on
Economic Cooperation.



6. (C) The Secretary congratulated the PM on Iraq's
pledge of $2.5 million to double the Fulbright program,
making it the largest in the Middle East. She remarked
that education is the key investment in development.
She continued by pledging our continued support for
strengthening Iraq's justice system and assisting in the
return of Iraqis displaced from their homes. She
finished her remarks emphasizing the critical nature of
our relationship and our commitment to strengthening
that relationship.


7. (C) PM Maliki described the HCC as a major component
in Iraq's efforts to become a modern state. He viewed
this meeting, which would review the progress of the JCC
and working groups, as the true launch of the process of
implementing the SFA. While acknowledging the
importance of security, he emphasized the importance of
rebuilding Iraq in the areas covered by the JCCs. He
expressed his satisfaction with the morning's event at
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce which would serve as the
prelude to the October Investment Conference, which he
called the main phase of rebuilding an infrastructure
and economy torn by war and the misadventures of the
previous regime. He expressed pride at the announcement
of the first 300 students to travel to the United States
under the 10,000 student initiative. He stressed the
need to cement security gains through cooperation
between U.S. agencies and the Iraqi Ministries of
Defense and Interior. He charged his Minister of
Foreign Affairs to work with us in the United Nations
and elsewhere to clean up after effects of the mistakes
of the previous regime.


8. (C) Ambassador Hill then reported for the U.S. on
the progress made by the four JCCs. Under the JCC on
Services and Information Technology, he highlighted the
work of USAID through its TATWEER program and reported
on the Al-Qudas power plant expansion, the Central
Euphrates Farmers Market and the health program for
Radiation Oncology. In Economic and Energy Cooperation,
he pointed to our work in assisting the Ministry of Oil
with contracting, licensing, and commercial law. He
pointed to work by the Department of Treasury, USAID and
OPIC especially their cooperation with the World Bank's
International Finance Corporation on micro-finance. In
reporting on Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation,
his focus was on exchanges, including the three Iraqi
candidates accepted into the FBI Academy's Masters
Program and the two Iraqis who will participate in the
FBI's Arabic Language Law Enforcement Executive
Development Seminar. In Cultural, Educational and
Scientific Cooperation, he seconded the Secretary's
comment about Iraq?s expansion of the Fulbright Program
and recalled the recent reception he hosted for Iraqi
Fulbright alumni. He told the story of one woman who,
as a 1952 grantee, attended Columbia University.


9. (C) Speaking for the Iraqi side, Dr Sami Al-Araji
commented on the importance of this work for promoting
trade and investment in Iraq. He also provided more
details on the October Investment Conference saying that
he expected more than 600 U.S. and 100 Iraqi companies
to participate. He compared this to the interest shown
by European and Asian companies, saying that, while all
companies were welcome, he wanted to insure that the
U.S. played an important role in the Iraqi economy. The
PM's education advisor made two points. First was to
emphasize Iraq's commitment to send 10,000 students
overseas at the Bachelors, Masters and PhD level. His
second point was his intent to reform the Iraqi
educational system at all levels. He pleaded with the
Secretary to try to streamline the student visa process

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SUBJECT: Secretary Clinton?s July 24, 2009 Higher
Coordination Committee Meeting with Ir
and to issue J visas, as opposed to F visas, in order to
guarantee that students paid for by the Iraqi government
would return to Iraq and not adjust status to remain in
the US. PM Maliki seconded this request and the
Secretary promised to look into it. The PM confirmed
that Education Advisor Dr. Zuhair Humadi would chair the
Cultural, Educational and Scientific Cooperation JCC.



10. (C) In looking to the next six months, the
Secretary urged ratification of the bilateral trade and
assistance agreements and passage of the hydrocarbon
framework law. She congratulated Iraq on the award of
an oil contract and lauded the PM's trip to Turkey to
sign the Nabucco Pipeline Agreement saying that his
participation was a signal that Iraq was open for
business. Foreign Minister Zebari looked forward to the
formation of a JCC on Diplomacy now that Ambassador Hill
had arrived in Iraq. With the support of PM Maliki, he
pointed to the U.S. Travel Advisory as an obstacle to
investment in Iraq. He said that the United Kingdom,
Germany, Japan and South Korea had already modified
their advisories and asked that we do the same. The
Secretary agreed to review the U.S. advisory.


11. (C) Minister of Interior Bolani lauded the success
of the June 30 turnover of security responsibilities for
the cities. He stated that the Department of State has
a role to play in security cooperation. He called on
the Secretary to increase cooperation in all aspects of
civilian security cooperation and, using Budapest as an
example, asked the Secretary to consider the
establishment of a joint police training center. He
promised that Iraq would do its part to professionalize
Iraqi police and security forces. On education, he
asked that we designate some US training opportunities
for the Ministry of Interior.



12. (C) The Secretary emphasized the importance of the
Second Meeting of the International Compact for Iraq and
enhanced regional cooperation. She called upon Iraq to
enter into an asset transfer agreement. She lauded the
success of GE in entering into a contract for turbines
for electricity generation and expressed the hope that
it would be finalized prior to the October Investment
Conference. Political Advisor Rikabi made two points.
The first was the need to forge an MOU with USAID in
order to better coordinate efforts. The second was to
lament what he believed to be unduly prejudicial
treatment of Iraq in the international press.
Acknowledging the lack of control of the press by
governments, he asked that we do our best to accurately
portray the progress that has been made in Iraq. The
Secretary promised that, 'We'll do a better job ' our
people will work with yours to convey that to the
media.? She said she would encourage journalists to
return to Iraq who had not been there since the
situation improved.



13. (C) Picking up on Rikabi's second point, the
Secretary closed the meeting by obtaining agreement to
the Joint Press Statement and accompanying PM Maliki to
the Joint Press Conference.



14. (U) Text of joint press statement:

JOINT STATEMENT ON ENHANCED COOPERATION AND FULL
ACTIVATION OF THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ

(BEGIN TEXT) In response to the invitation of President
Barack Obama, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki visited the
United States of America to enhance strategic bilateral
relations between the two countries. The United States
of America and the Republic of Iraq are entering a new
phase of relations, moving beyond security cooperation to
strengthen diplomatic relations as well as building ties
in commerce, culture, science and education. On July
22, 2009, President Obama and Prime Minister Maliki affirmed
the full activation of the Strategic Framework Agreement
(SFA) between the United States and the Republic of
Iraq, which will guide the two nations as they expand and
enhance cooperation in these areas. The two leaders also
affirmed their commitment to full and complete
implementation of the bilateral security agreement
ratified by Iraq's Council of Representatives on
November 26, 2008 (Security Agreement). As U.S. forces
Complete their withdrawal from Iraq by 2011 under this agreement,
the United States and Iraq will focus increasingly on

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SUBJECT: Secretary Clinton?s July 24, 2009 Higher
Coordination Committee Meeting with Ir
broader areas of cooperation under the SFA - supporting
Iraq as it works to build effective, accountable
governance through democratic, constitutional
institutions at the national, regional, and provincial
levels. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Prime Minister
Maliki on July 24 hosted the SFA's Higher Coordinating
Committee to confirm and enhance bilateral cooperation
across the fields delineated in the SFA. These areas of
cooperation include:

--------------
Diplomatic Cooperation
--------------
The United States and the Government of Iraq will work
together to support and enhance Iraq's status in
regional and international organizations by overcoming
the legacy of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship, and to play a
constructive role in the international community as a
democratic and sovereign state. The United States in
this regard affirms its commitment under Article 25 of
the Security Agreement. Central to this, the United States
shall use its best efforts to help Iraq as it works with
the UN Security Council to remove itself from Chapter
VII of the U.N. Charter, and to return Iraq to the
international legal status that it enjoyed prior to

1990.

The United States and Iraq applaud the United Nations
efforts to assist Iraq in enhancing stability and
consolidating democracy in Iraq through free and fair
elections. Both countries today pledged their full
support to these efforts in accordance with the UN
Security Council resolution 1770 regarding UNAMI
activities in Iraq.

The two countries support and will cooperate to
effectuate the safe and sustainable return of all
Iraqis who left their country in addition to
internally displaced persons who wish to return home.

--------------
Security Cooperation
--------------
As the United States continues to withdraw its military
forces under the Security Agreement, it will also, at
the request of the Government of Iraq as specified in
the Security Agreement, continue to provide assistance to
the Government in Iraq in its efforts to maintain security
and stability in Iraq, including cooperation in the conduct
of operations against al-Qaeda and other terrorist and
outlaw groups. The US will continue to train, equip and
support Iraqi Security Forces under the terms of the
agreement. This cooperation may include the provision
of training and logistical support, as well as the
procurement of military equipment under the Foreign
Military Sales and other like programs.

The United States will assist the Government of Iraq in
its ongoing efforts to join the international community
in advancing the goals of conventions and treaties
regarding international peace and security.
The United States further remains committed to assisting
the Government of Iraq to mitigate the risks to the
Iraqi people posed by land mines and unexploded ordinance.

-------------- --
Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Cooperation
-------------- --
The United States and the Government of Iraq will
enhance cooperation in the fields of education, cultural
affairs, and scientific research. The Government of Iraq
in this regard will fund the Iraqi Education Initiative to
provide scholarships at foreign universities (including a
consortium of 250 American universities) for up to
10,000 Iraqi students annually for a period of five years.
In addition, the Government of Iraq has pledged $2.5
million to double the size of the Fulbright Exchange
Program between Iraq and the United States, making Iraq
the largest Fulbright exchange program in the greater
Middle East region. The U.S. will continue to support
culture and youth exchanges, such as those ongoing under
the International Visitors Leadership Program.

Linkages between Iraqi and American universities will be
established and enhanced and the U.S. will implement a
nationwide program in Iraq to train educational
advisers. Programs to facilitate scientific research
and the training of Iraqi agricultural extension agents
have also been established and expanded under the Strategic
Framework Agreement. Finally, the Government of the
United States will continue to support the Iraqi Ministry
of Culture and the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage

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SUBJECT: Secretary Clinton?s July 24, 2009 Higher
Coordination Committee Meeting with Ir
to preserve Iraq's cultural heritage. Such support
includes the Iraq Cultural Heritage Project and the Future
of Babylon Project.


--------------
Economic and Commercial Cooperation
--------------
The Prime Minister today affirmed Iraq's commitment to
overcoming the economic dislocation of two decades of
war and dictatorship, and the United States will support
Iraq as it works to develop its human and natural resources.
In this regard, the United States is committed to
supporting the Government of Iraq as it takes the steps
necessary for integration into international financial
and economic institutions, including membership in the
World Trade Organization.

Both countries are also working actively to foster broad
and enduring bilateral economic ties, as envisioned in
the Strategic Framework Agreement. To that end, the United
States Government and the United State Chamber of
Commerce will host in October the first U.S - Iraq Business
and investment Summit , bringing together businesses and
government officials from both countries in the capital
of Washington D.C. The two countries will additionally host
the bilateral Dialogue on Economic Cooperation for
senior government officials to identify means to overcome
obstacles to increased trade and investment in Iraq.

--------------
Justice and Rule of Law Cooperation
--------------
The two governments will jointly support the development
of Iraq's justice system, including police, courts, and
prison and detention operations. These efforts will
include enhancing law enforcement and judicial
relationships and information sharing to achieve unity
of effort in addressing corruption and common transnational
threats, including terrorism and cyber-crime.

The two governments will focus on the priorities of the
Ministry of Interior, including increasing its
professionalism and management capabilities, providing
judicial security and securing Iraq's borders. The two
governments will also work together to improve the
capacity of the criminal justice system to improve
investigative practices and promote evidence-based
adjudications. The two governments support the Iraqi
Higher Judicial Council's goal of ensuring an impartial,
independent, and transparent judiciary that ensures the
rights of all citizens and institutions and encourages a strong
partnership with global institutions. We will continue
to promote judicial capacity building and training efforts
in support of that goal.

In recognition of Iraq's role in the history of codified
law, the two governments will support the full
integration of the Iraqi judiciary into the international
community through enhanced exchanges and training programs.
The United States, finally, is committed to continuing
to assist the Government of Iraq in the development and
administration of its prison and detention operations,
including the development of administrative procedures
to ensure full compliance with international corrections
standards and respect for human rights and humane
treatment of detainees.

-------------- --------------
Full Activation of the Strategic Framework Agreement
-------------- --------------
Consistent with the vision set forth in the SFA and
affirmed in this Joint Statement, and pursuant to
Article IX, Paragraph 1 of the SFA, the United States
and Iraq will host a follow-on Higher Coordinating
Committee in 2010 to further monitor implementation
activities. This meeting will take place in Baghdad
upon the invitation of the Government of Iraq.

The United States of America and the Government of Iraq
are united by bonds of struggle and sacrifice in a joint
effort against extremism and terrorism. The withdrawal
of U.S. forces from Iraq represents a joint success and
allows Iraq to reclaim its full and complete
sovereignty. As this withdrawal continues, the full and
complete activation of the SFA will help ensure that
Iraq can reclaim its rightful place in the international
community and pay tribute to the thousands of Iraqi
and American lives that have been lost since 2003.
(END TEXT)
CLINTON