VZCZCXRO9523
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHGB #1056/01 0911420
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 011420Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3648
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001056 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2016 
TAGS: PREL PINS MOPS IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ: JOINT COMMITTEE TO TRANSFER SECURITY 
RESPONSIBLITY MEETS 
 
REF: A. 05 BAGHDAD 3853 
 
     ¶B. 05 BAGHDAD 3731 
 
Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION DANIEL SPECKHARD FOR REASONS 1.4 
 (A) AND (D) 
 
 ¶1. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN)  SUMMARY:  The Principals Group 
of the Joint Committee to Transfer Security Responsibility 
(JCTSR) met March 27, 2006 at the Prime Minister's 
Situation Room to review progress made by the Working Group 
and to approve future steps.  The meeting was chaired by 
National Security Advisor Dr. Mowaffak al-Rubaie and was 
attended by Minister of Defense Saadoun Dulime, Minister of 
Interior Bayan Jabr, MNF-I Commanding General Casey, MNF-I 
Deputy Commanding General LTG Fry, British Charge 
d'Affaires, and Embassy Acting PolMilCouns.  The Principals 
endorsed the actions taken by the Working Group to date and 
directed them to continue to prepare for the commencement 
of the assessment process, currently scheduled to begin in 
early April.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------- 
AREAS ASSESSED/SECURITY FRAMEWORK 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN)  BACKGROUND:  As reported reftel 
B, the four conditions to be assessed before security 
responsibility for a province or provincial capital can be 
transferred from MNF-I to the Provincial authorities are 
(1) threat level, (2) Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) 
capabilities, (3) local governance capabilities, and (4) 
the ability of MNF-I to reinforce ISF if needed. 
 
¶3.  (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN)  The Principals agreed with the 
recommendations made by the Working Group as listed below: 
 
-- The areas to be assessed for transfer of security 
responsibility are Iraq's eighteen provinces or, in the 
event an entire province is not ready for an assessment, 
the provincial capital. 
 
-- The Security Framework contemplates two conditions, 
normal and crisis.  Under normal conditions Iraqi 
provincial authorities ensure the security and domestic 
order in the province through use of provincial/local police. 
 A crisis 
condition would be declared by the Prime Minister when an 
incident or situation arises that exceeds the capabilities 
of the provincial police and that requires 
national security assets (National Police and/or Iraqi 
Army) or MNF-I forces to contain or control. 
 
-- The deployment of national security assets or MNF-I 
forces would take place once a Governor, acting through 
normal channels, requests assistance.  Alternatively, the 
Prime Minister may declare a crisis and order national 
security assets deployed or request the MNF-I Commanding 
General to deploy forces. 
 
-- During a crisis the Prime Minister will designate the lead 
command to resolve the crisis and all other involved forces 
will 
support the lead.  Routinely, if Iraqi National Police forces 
are deployed, 
either the National Police commander or the Provincial 
Chief of Police shall be designated as the lead commander; 
if Iraqi Army forces are deployed, the Iraqi Army commander 
will be designated as the lead commander with National 
Police Forces and Provincial Police in support; if MNF-I 
forces are deployed, the MNF-I unit commander will be 
designated as lead with Iraqi Army, National Police, and 
Provincial Police in support. 
 
------------------ 
ASSESSMENT PROCESS 
------------------ 
 
¶4. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN)  The process to recommend whether 
a province or provincial capital is ready for security 
transfer will take between 14 and 21 days and will consist 
of the following steps: 
 
--  The provincial assessment will be conducted by 
representatives of 
the Governor, Multi-National Division (MND) Commander, the 
Ministries of Interior and Defense, and of the U.S. and 
British Embassies. 
 
 
BAGHDAD 00001056  002 OF 002 
 
 
--  The JCTSR Sub-Working Group will assemble and review 
the data and prepare a briefing for the Working Group. 
 
--  The JCTSR Working Group will review the data and 
develop a recommendation. 
 
--  The JCTSR Principals Group will discuss the data and 
validate the recommendation. 
 
--  The recommendation shall be presented to the 
Ministerial Committee for National Security (MCNS), chaired 
by the Prime Minister, which will determine whether security 
responsibility for the 
province or provincial capital should be transferred from 
MNF-I to the provincial government. 
 
----------------------------------- 
TRANSFER OF SECURITY RESPONSIBILITY 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN)  Once the MCNS has approved an 
area for transfer, the process to complete the transfer 
will take up to 45 days and will consist of the following 
steps: 
 
-- Strategic Directive: The Iraqi Government will issue 
written guidance on transfer date, security framework, and 
ministerial support. 
 
-- Media Plan:  The Iraqi Government will have the lead 
with U.S. and British Embassies and MNF-I in support. 
 
-- Transfer Agreement:  The MND commander and the Governor 
will jointly draft an agreement detailing the post-transfer 
relationship between MND and the provincial government. 
 
-- Transfer Ceremony:  The Provincial Governor and MND 
commander will plan and conduct a public ceremony. 
 
The MND commander will remain responsible for security until 
the conclusion of the transfer ceremony. 
 
----------------------- 
MEETINGS WITH GOVERNORS 
----------------------- 
 
¶6. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN)  The Principals Group also 
approved of meetings the Working Group has begun holding 
with Provincial Governors and MND Commanders to familiarize 
them with the conditions and to get their ideas, reactions, 
and feed-back.  On March 22 the Working Group met with the 
Governors of Wasit, Maysan, and al-Muthana provinces, along 
with the Commanding Generals of MND-South East and 
MND-Center South.  On March 23 the Working Group met with 
the Governors of Baghdad and Najaf provinces, along with 
the Deputy Commanding General of MND-Baghdad.  The next 
meetings are planned for April 6 with the Governors of Dahuk, 
Arbil, 
As-Sulaymaniyah, Ninawa, Tamim, Salahaddin, and Diyala 
Provinces and April 8 with the Governor of al-Anbar.  During 
the meetings to date the Governors have expressed 
appreciation that the central government would include them 
and solicit their comments. The governors have provided 
valuable insights which the committee will use in refining 
the implementing arrangement. 
 
---------- 
NEXT STEPS 
---------- 
 
¶7. (S//REL GBR AUS JAPAN)  Current plans call for the 
assessment process to begin in early April. 
 
KHALILZAD