VZCZCXRO4929
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #2704 2110839
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 300839Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5967
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0506
INFO RHEHWSR/WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 002704 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KWMN IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI PARTICIPANTS IN US-ARAB ECONOMIC FORUM FEEL ISOLATED 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
1.(U) SUMMARY: Iraqi participants in the US-Arab Economic Forum 
(USAEF) told Poloff that they felt isolated from the other 
participants at the conference, held in Houston from June 26 to 28. 
Although they were grateful for the opportunity to participate and 
felt that they made some valuable connections, they were 
disappointed by the pessimism they encountered during discussions of 
projects in Iraq.  On the contrary, they were very upbeat about 
their consultations and training sessions in Washington, DC, and 
sent heartfelt thanks to Amb. Steven Steiner, Deborah Emmert, and 
everyone in the G/IWI office who helped to plan their trip. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
-------------------------------- 
USAEF - "Fighting Stereotypes" 
-------------------------------- 
 
2.(SBU) Telba Attia Kadoori and Jenan Mubarak, two of post's three 
nominees for the USAEF conference met with Poloff on July 20 to 
discuss their trip to the United States. (NOTE: The third 
participant, Dhuha Rouhi, did not return to Iraq and is currently 
staying in Jordan indefinitely. END NOTE.)  They said that the USAEF 
conference had been sponsored by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, "which was 
obvious from the focus" according to Mubarak.  Kadoori described 
some innovative agricultural ideas she had for developing the desert 
area between Anbar and Ninewa provinces, some of which are being 
used in the deserts of Saudi Arabia.  However, she lamented that 
several participants had dismissed these projects as "impossible," 
preferring instead to focus on the success of the Saudi experiment. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The women commented that many of the other participants 
seemed unaware that there were delegates from Iraq at the 
conference, and they often found themselves in conversations about 
the "ethnic violence" engulfing Iraq, and the impossibility of trade 
with or investment in that war-torn country.  As a result, they 
spent much of their time "fighting stereotypes" and explaining 
political realities and economic possibilities province by 
province. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Despite the difficulties, both women were happy with the 
opportunity to network and have projects they look forward to 
following up.  Kadoori met some Houston businessmen interested in 
developing hotels and other tourist-oriented projects in the more 
stable areas of Iraq, as well as agro-business types interested in 
trading soy for dates.  Mubarak, who previously worked as a fashion 
designer in Lebanon, reported that Sheikha Hessa Al-Sabah of the 
Arab Women's Council invited her to participate in a fashion show in 
the fall, where they will continue a discussion on exporting Iraqi 
handicrafts, among other things. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Washington DC Consultations "Excellent!" 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) When discussion shifted to the consultation and training 
sessions organized by G/IWI, the women visibly brightened.  They 
were clearly energized by their experiences in Washington, and were 
full of new and creative ideas.  In fact, Mubarak had developed at 
least one viable project idea from each meeting she had in 
Washington, and was already networking both in the US and Iraq to 
move forward on several.  Among her ideas is an email translation 
service, which will help employ Iraqi women who otherwise may not be 
able to work outside the home due to security concerns.  Kadoori is 
also working on a proposal to form small collective farming groups 
for rural women.  Both women were grateful to the G/IWI office for 
organizing their visit, which they declared "absolutely excellent!" 
 
¶6. (U) The women concluded that the most valuable and relevant 
sessions were the workshop on tenders, presented by the Department 
of the Army, and the discussion on microfinance at the World Bank. 
They agreed that the session with America's Development Foundation 
(ADF) was their least favorite, although they admitted that they had 
both had negative experiences with ADF in Iraq that colored their 
opinion. 
 
¶7. (U) Post will continue to follow up with Kadoori and Mubarak as 
they pursue their projects, and will report on developments as they 
occur.  Post thanks G/IWI for its continued commitment to the women 
of Iraq. 
 
SCOBEY