VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGB #3039 3220728
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180728Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5485
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UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003039 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PLEASE PASS TO S/ES-CR AND NEA/I 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPDC EINV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: LETTER TO THE SECRETARY FROM DR. SAMI AL-ARAJI, 
CHAIRMAN, IRAQ NATIONAL INVESTMENT COMMISSION 
 
¶1. Post has received a diplomatic note from the GOI dated 4 
November 2009 forwarding a letter to the Secretary from Dr. 
Sami Al-Araji, Chairman, Iraq National Investment Commission. 
 Text of the Diplomatic Note and Letter follow: 
 
¶2. Begin Text of Diplomatic Note 
 
Republic of Iraq 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
 
North, South America & Caribbean Sea Department 
 
No: 05/1/36810 
Date: 4 November 2009 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq 
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States 
of America in Baghdad and has the honor to enclose the letter 
from Dr. Sami Al-Araji, Chairman of the Iraqi National 
Investment Commission - No: M.R.S/2672 dated 29 October 2009 
- to Her Excellency Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Secretary of 
State. 
 
The Ministry would be grateful if the U.S. Embassy can 
deliver the above mentioned letter to its proper destination. 
 
The Ministry avails itself of the opportunity to express the 
Embassy of the United States of America its highest 
appreciation and respect. 
 
(Signed) 
(Stamped) 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
North, South America & Caribbean Sea Department 
 
Embassy of the United States of America/Baghdad 
 
End Text of Diplomatic Note 
 
¶3. Text of the Letter follows: 
 
The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton 
Secretary of State of the United States of America 
United States Department of State 
2201 C Street NW 
Washington, DC 20520 
 
Dear Madam Secretary, 
 
On behalf of the Iraq National Investment Commission (NIC) 
and the business community of Iraq, I would like to thank you 
for joining us at last week's U.S. - Iraq Business and 
Investment Conference in Washington, D.C., for your address 
to the many participants, and for your manifest support for 
our mission. 
 
I appreciate in particular your very positive focus on Iraq's 
potential across the board.  I feel that your emphasis set 
exactly the right tone and perspective for the audience and 
for the moment.  Our progress in establishing a stable 
environment for investment has been very broad, as you 
pointed out.  Our way forward is also quite clear, and your 
encouragement was telling and on target.  Your message rang 
very true: With the necessary work proceeding on all these 
fronts, Iraq is truly open for business and full of 
opportunities.  We are at a crossroads in our journey to an 
Iraq that is a peaceful and productive member of the 
community of nations. 
 
Please allow me as well to express to you personally my 
thanks for your support for the priorities and opportunities 
that we discussed at the conference.  It is very heartening 
to know of your personal interest in what we plan and hope to 
do in both the near and longer term, especially the housing 
project.  Undersecretary Hormats phoned me and relayed your 
support for us to realize this project, and I am grateful for 
it. 
 
Please accept my warmest regards, 
 
Very truly yours, 
 
Dr. Sami Al-Araji, Chairman 
Iraqi National Investment Commission 
 
End Text of Letter 
HILL