VZCZCXYZ0010
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGB #1210 1031415
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131415Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3874
INFO RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 001210 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/I 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ
 
SUBJECT: COMSEC'S DHIA REQUESTS ASSISTANCE TO 
ENHANCE FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL COORDINATION 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On April 5, IRMO Director 
Speckhard met with Secretary General for the Council 
of Ministers Secretariat (CoMSec) Emad Dhia to 
discuss the Dhia's request for USG assistance.  Dhia 
emphasized the need for assistance in building up 
CoMSec's federal provincial coordination capability 
and stated that the Iraqi Government considers this 
a significant issue that must be addressed 
satisfactorily.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) IRMO Director Speckhard met with the ComSec 
Secretary General Emad Dhia on April 5 at Dhia's 
 
SIPDIS 
request.  Dhia cited increasingly deteriorating 
relations between Iraq's central and provincial 
governments.  As an example, Dhia related how 
provincial officials are seizing federal stores, 
including foodstuffs, and disrupting national 
inventory and distribution systems.  Dhia also 
lamented what he considers a lack of constitutional 
clarity on the division of responsibilities and 
authorities between the central and provincial 
governments.  Provincial governments, he added, are 
ignorant about national budget processes that 
provinces must follow in order to access central 
government funds allocated for them. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Dhia stressed the linchpin role that the 
CoMSec must play in the.  According to Dhia, 
Planning Minister Barham Salih agreed to provide 
Dhia with Planning Ministry expertise, which Dhia 
said he favors bringing in "to strengthen CoMSec's 
center of mass."  The Planning Ministry, Dhia 
explained, is set to begin a program to bring 
provincial leaders to Baghdad to discuss the 
National Development Strategy (NDS) and to help them 
devise provincial development strategies tied to the 
NDS.  In addition, Dhia said, the Planning Ministry 
is ready to link this program to CoMSec efforts to 
improve federal relations.  Dhia said he would like 
to expand this program in order to strengthen the 
CoMSec's ties to the Governors. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Dhia thanked Mission for providing him with 
an advisor to build capacity in his immediate 
office, but he stressed his need for significant 
additional USG assistance to close the center- 
provincial gap.  Dhia said he wants USG assistance 
to help him craft a strategic plan of action "road 
map" and specific programs, which include building 
local governance capacity in order to improve 
provincial/federal relations.  First, Dhia requested 
technical assistance to conduct a diagnostic of the 
CoMSec.  Second, he asked for advisers to help him 
set up sectoral committees, such as in energy.  He 
expressed a preference for Iraqi-American advisers 
and wants them to twin with existing staff in a 
mentoring relationship. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Mission explained its willingness to assist 
CoMSec in strengthening its capacity as part of its 
larger national capacity development initiative. 
(NOTE: The UK Department for International 
Development (DFID) operates a contractor within the 
CoMSec to work on improving CoMSec operational 
capability.  Mission is coordinating its efforts 
closely with DFID.  END NOTE.) 
 
KHALILZAD