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O P 032327Z AUG 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 7675
INFO IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

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 
 
STATE 00080762  002 OF 005 
 
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 
 
STATE 00080762  003 OF 005 
 
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 
 
STATE 00080762  004 OF 005 
 
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 
 
STATE 00080762  005 OF 005 
 
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