VZCZCXRO6145
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3172/01 2751456
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 011456Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9733
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003172 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2018 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL IO IZ
SUBJECT: UNAMI TO OPEN OFFICE IN RAMADI 
 
Classified By: PRT Team Leader James Soriano for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d 
). 
 
¶1.  (U) This is a PRT Anbar reporting cable. 
 
¶2.  (C) Summary.  A UNAMI delegation led by Special 
Representative for the Secretary de Mistura visited Ramadi on 
September 29 to announce the formal opening of UNAMI 
operations in the province.  The delegation met with Governor 
Ma'amoun and some two dozen local notables.  The Governor 
held a 90-minute discussion with de Mistura, raising such 
issues as the challenges to economic recovery, elections, 
health, and education.  Surprisingly, the Anbaris did not 
play up their long-standing concerns on the Article 140 
motion to assign a large portion of southeast Anbar to 
Karbala Province.  UNAMI envisions a seven-person office to 
be set up at Camp Ramadi, with the advance party arriving on 
October 16.  The PRT is in regular contact with UNAMI to 
offer assistance and to ensure a smooth transition.  End 
Summary. 
 
Official Announcement 
--------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) Special Representative for the Secretary General 
Staffan de Mistura formally announced the establishment of a 
UNAMI presence in Anbar Province at meetings in Ramadi on 
September 29 with Governor Ma'amoun Sami Rasheed and Anbari 
notables. 
 
Anbari Concerns 
--------------- 
 
¶4. (U) De Mistura and his traveling party met with the 
governor in his Government Center office for 20 minutes 
before adjourning to the nearby sheikhs' hall where he met 
with two dozen or more local officials and other dignitaries, 
including religious clerics, directors general, tribal 
sheikhs, and the president of Anbar University.  De Mistura 
told his interlocutors that he wished to hear their concerns 
about reconstruction and the period ahead.  In a 90-minute 
discussion, the Anbaris spoke about the bottlenecks and 
hindrances to economic recovery, including high unemployment, 
electricity shortages, and the need to improve health 
delivery and education. 
 
¶5. (SBU) On another issue, the President of Anbar University, 
Dr. Khalil Ibrahim Al-Duleimi, sought UNAMI assurances for a 
fair provincial election.  De Mistura replied that UNAMI is 
actively engaged with the GOI to ensure that credible 
elections take place.  He commended the Anbaris for their 
recent successful voter registration campaign, and encouraged 
them to vote on election  day.  He also urged the Anbaris to 
train local election monitors to supplement those trained by 
UNAMI.  One speaker raised the issue of human rights, to 
which de Mistura stressed that UNAMI will pay special 
attention to receiving reports about human rights abuse. 
 
Article 140 
----------- 
 
¶6. (C) Significantly, the audience did not play up the 
Article 140 motion concerning the purported assignment of a 
large area of southeastern Anbar to Karbala.  That issue came 
up during previous visits by UNAMI executives and has long 
been a sensitive one among the local political elite. 
Article 140 was briefly mentioned in the last question during 
de Mistura's meeting with the notables.  In reply, de Mistura 
observed that UNAMI has been absorbed with the Kirkuk Article 
140 issue because of its urgency, and expressed hope that 
finding a political solution there would provide a formula 
for resolving other Article 140 disputes.  (Comment: although 
Article 140 was not a prominent issue, it is likely that the 
province's political leaders will raise it again after UNAMI 
sets up an office.) 
 
De Mistura's Message 
-------------------- 
 
¶7.  (C) In his presentation, de Mistura sought to lower 
Anbari expectations that UNAMI would come to Anbar with large 
sums of money for reconstruction projects.  At several points 
in the meeting with the local notables, he observed that Iraq 
is a rich country and that the GOI itself has publicly said 
that it is less interested in foreign financial assistance 
than in the technical assistance needed to deploy domestic 
resources effectively.  UNAMI will design its future programs 
on the latter score, de Mistura told the audience, 
emphasizing training and capacity-building.  He congratulated 
the Anbaris for turning around the battle against the 
Insurgents.  Now that security is no longer a major 
consideration, he said, attention must be given to improving 
the government's ability to govern and to encourage the 
 
BAGHDAD 00003172  002 OF 002 
 
 
private sector.  "Do not look to the UN to help you," de 
Mistura said, "but rather to help you help yourselves." 
 
¶8. (SBU) De Mistura was accompanied on his visit by UNAMI 
chief of staff Siddharth Chatterjee, public information 
officer Said Arikat and UNDP representative Ugo Bott.  The 
delegation was escorted by the PRT leader, who excused 
himself from the meeting with the governor so as to allow de 
Mistura to represent the UN without Coalition presence.  De 
Mistura later indicated that the meeting with the governor 
was a courtesy call; no substance was  discussed.  Press was 
present at both meetings. 
 
Coordination with the PRT and MNF-West 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Prior to and after the visit to the Government 
Center, the UNAMI delegation received briefings from PRT and 
MNF-West staff, including a meeting with the MNF-West Deputy 
Commanding General.  Those discussions included a security 
update, an overview of political developments, the logistical 
and administrative steps needed to set up a UNAMI office at 
Camp Ramadi, and PRT assistance in helping UNAMI reps 
establish working relationships with their provincial 
counterparts. 
 
Next Steps 
---------- 
 
¶10. (C) UNAMI has a near-term plan to set up a seven-person 
office at Camp Ramadi.  A one-person advance element, from 
UNDP, is scheduled to arrive on October 16.  UNAMI office 
space has already been constructed and will be fitted with 
electricity and furnishings in the next several weeks.  The 
PRT is in regular contact with UNAMI to offer assistance and 
to ensure a smooth transition to Ramadi. 
CROCKER