VZCZCXYZ0009
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGB #1839/01 1700236
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180236Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7857

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 001839 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR NEA/I, L, INL/I 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREL IZ REL UK
SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO ACTION REQUEST OF WAY FORWARD ON ASSET TRANSFER 
 
REF: SECSTATE 35260 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  Over the past few months, Mission has raised with GOI 
officials our need to secure written acceptance of the transfer of 
major USG-financed assets, pressing for resolution of this 
long-standing issue.  Based on these discussions, we believe that 
the most viable means of achieving an asset transfer agreement is 
through a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between the 
Department of State (DOS) and the applicable Ministries within the 
Government of the Republic of Iraq (GOI) that will address asset 
transfers and that contain a statement that no claims may be made 
against the United States Government (USG) in connection with these 
assets.  Our proposed memoranda would also state that the GOI will 
be responsible for all operation and maintenance (O&M) following 
transfer. When signed, these MOUs would release the USG from 
liability for: a) assets already transferred to the GOI, whether 
through mutual agreement or a unilateral process; b) assets 
completed but not yet transferred to the GOI. Post will continue to 
press the subject with the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Ministry of 
Planning & Development Cooperation (MoPDC).  We will also work 
through them to gain PM Maliki's endorsement of this course of 
action in the form of a letter or memo that will serve to strengthen 
our hand and give individual ministers the political cover to 
execute the MOUs. Post will also continue efforts to improve the 
process for the functional transfer of assets to designated GOI 
entities, in their current condition, in a manner sustainable by the 
GOI.  END SUMMARY. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - 
MOU BETWEEN USG AND GOI 
- - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶2. Mission is in receipt of the draft MOU prepared by L, and 
understands its underlying intent.  Our discussions with GOI 
officials on this subject, however, indicate that it would be a very 
tough sell. ITAO, in cooperation with the Embassy's joint Asset 
Recognition and Transfer Operations Group (ARTOG), has prepared a 
version that may have a greater chance of succeeding in the current 
Iraqi political environment. 
 
¶3.  Our proposed MOU will seek to document USG transfer to the GOI 
of any DOS-funded capital asset over $250,000 in a manner that 
protects the USG from liability and responsibility for O&M. In 
accordance with our discussions with the Ministry of Finance, the 
applicable GOI Line Ministers will be signature authorities for this 
MOU.  We will seek a communication from the Prime Minister to all 
relevant Line Ministers authorizing/encouraging them to work 
directly with us to conclude a MOU for asset transfer in their areas 
of responsibility. We propose that the MOU be accompanied by a 
transfer letter that will document assets already transferred to the 
GOI (whether through mutual agreement or unilateral process) as well 
as assets already completed but not yet transferred to the GOI. This 
approach will enable transfer of projects from multiple 
reconstruction programs. 
 
¶4.  We will coordinate this draft MOU through the Baghdad Asset 
Recognition and Transfer Operations Group (ARTOG) and then submit it 
to the Department's Legal Advisor for review and approval.  If the 
GOI ministries do not accept the MOU, post will document the given 
reasons and consult with L before proposing any adjustments to the 
MOU. Post will continue to negotiate the MOU with the intention of 
concluding the MOU before expiration of Iraq Relief & Reconstruction 
Fund (IRRF) obligation authority on September 30, 2008.  Post is 
also developing a process for supporting the process of functional 
transfer, to include information and advice on effective Iraqi 
assumption of Operations, Maintenance and Sustainability, and to 
design and implement procedures for end-use-monitoring that will 
allow periodic reviews on the status of major transferred assets to 
ascertain that assets are being used for or in support of their 
intended purpose. 
 
- - - -  - - - - - - - 
APPENDICIES TO THE MOU 
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¶5. The data requested as an appendix to the MOU represents thousands 
of records of data. While a list of the projects would be beneficial 
at the presentation of the MOU to the GOI, it is recommended that 
the list not be made a part of the MOU document, especially since 
the information is still changing on a daily basis. The list of 
projects (data as of March 28, 2008) was presented to the Minister 
of Finance and the Minister of Planning & Development Cooperation by 
Ambassador Ries on April 7, 2008. The current list of USG funded 
projects will be presented to each Ministry along with the Transfer 
Letter. (A draft Ministry Transfer Letter will be forwarded to L for 
approval.) It is intended that these letters in conjunction with the 
MOU will provide a uniform method for sustainable transfer and 
release from liability for the USG mission in Iraq. 
 
- - - - - - - - - -- - - - 
INTER-AGENCY MOU and ARTOG 
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¶6. Post will draft an inter-agency process on procedures for asset 
recognition and transfer (ART) of USG funded capital assets to the 
GOI. A charter will also be drafted to reform the inter-agency ART 
operations/working group (ARTOG), which has existed since 2006, in 
support of unified ART efforts and improved coordination with the 
GOI. The process and charter will submitted to Legal for review. 
 
- - - - - - - - - -  - 
REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS 
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¶7. Our discussions with GOI officials on asset transfer - with DPM, 
MoF, MoPDC - lead us to believe that we must moderate our 
expectations.  GOI ministers have already balked at the prospect of 
signing blanket agreements.  They will likely accept our lists of 
assets, but will want to document any incomplete projects, or 
inferior design, materials, or workmanship.  This will take time. 
Our MOU will stipulate acceptance of assets "as is," but we expect a 
natural caution to be exercised.  Iraqi ministers are averse to 
accepting responsibility for any action that may subject them to 
accusations of incompetence or corruption in future.  This 
negotiation will take time and the asset transfer program itself 
will require manpower, time and resources to negotiate, document and 
implement. 
 
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PRDC PROJECTS 
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¶8. Two kinds of projects - PRDC and Rule of Law - have already 
established separate procedures for transfer and O&M.  PRDC projects 
that fall under the FY07 supplemental are directed to have 'Letters 
of Sustainment' (LOS) which become part of the documentation and 
close-out package. However, an LOS was not included in the FY06 
project packages. Post will ensure that asset transfer and release 
from liability is part of the close-out process for PRDC projects. 
Asset transfer documentation becomes part of the close-out 
documentation and is scanned for uploading into the IRMS database. 
This documentation represents tens of thousands of pages of 
information and it is not suitable for transmission over the DOS 
cable system. Post requests a point of contact if this documentation 
is required. It should also be noted that the separation and review 
of these documents may be very difficult without the direct use of 
the IRMS database.  Through the ARTOG, Post is also evaluating the 
ART process for inclusion of letters of sustainment for all future 
U.S. funded projects. 
 
- - - - - -- - - - - 
RULE OF LAW PROJECTS 
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¶9. To date, the asset transfer mechanism for Rule of Law capital 
assets - including facilities for law enforcement, judicial and 
corrections systems-has fallen under the transfer processes used by 
the relative executing agencies, usually the Gulf Region Division 
(GRD) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). INL has oversight 
responsibility for all IRRF- and INCLE-funded prison construction 
projects, which are being built under GRD-managed contracts. Post's 
Rule of Law Coordinator's Office (ROLC) has also obtained letters of 
sustainment for some projects with the Ministry of Justice. The 
first official handover of an IRRF-funded prison facility to the 
Ministry of Justice is due to be conducted in June 2008.  ROLC and 
INL will work with ITAO to ensure that transfers for ROL project 
track the capital asset transfer and release of liability procedures 
described in this cable. 
 
Butenis