VZCZCXRO8641
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #4014/01 3451019
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 111019Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4771
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004014 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREL IZ
SUBJECT:  CHALABI SERVICE COMMITTEE REVIEWS PROGRESS 
 
Ref: #3833, #3793, #3708, #3565, #3259 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: Pausing to review previously adopted recommendations, 
the Services Committee dedicated nearly two hours of discussion at 
its December 4 meeting to that end. The Ministries of Trade, Oil, 
Defense, Health and Electricity presented, as did the Amanat and a 
council representative from Sabi' Al Bor. FAQ spokesperson and a 
Ministry of Finance representative also attended. No representative 
from the Baghdad Operations Command was in attendance. END SUMMARY. 
 
 
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Electricity & Health Recommendations Review 
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¶2. Committee Chairman, Dr. Ahmed Chalabi commended the Ministry of 
Electricity (MoE) for fulfilling the November 20 commitment to 
provide 72 continuous hours of power weekly to the Kahdimiyah 
irrigation pumps. This prevents farmers from having to use drinking 
water to irrigate their crops. Five other electricity 
recommendations remain incomplete. We have reported these 
recommendations in previous cables. 
 
¶3. There are currently eight health related recommendations. The 
most recent was tasked this week - instructing the Ministry of 
Health (MoH) to rehabilitate the Mahmoudiya hospital and its 
satellite health centers, in addition to meeting the medical staff 
and equipment shortages and prescription drug shortages of those 
facilities. 
 
¶4. In reviewing the November 6 decision to transfer the Al Karkh 
Hospital from the MoH to the Ministry of Defense (MoD), the 
ministries disagreed on the level of progress to date. The appointed 
subcommittee is still working out details. The Health IG reported 
that 7 doctors have been sent to the Baghdad suburb of Sabi' al Bor. 
He also said he plans to open an emergency center in the area 
although this recommendation was not among the promises he made to 
the people of Sabi' Al Bor nor a committee recommendation. The IG 
reported that an effort to expediently purchase life saving 
medications has been presented to the Prime Minister for his 
approval. An October 25 recommendation to increase doctor pay is 
held up at the Ministry of Finance (MoF) according to the IG. Dr. 
Chalabi intends to send a letter to the MoF to urge its cooperation 
for this funding and to remind them of their obligation to the 
Services Committee. Finally, ITAO Director Tokola reported that the 
Nahrawan PHC opened to patients on November 24- completing a 
November 20 request. 
 
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Revisiting Fuel Issues 
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¶5. Mr. Mo'tasim Akram from the Ministry of Oil presented again about 
fuel issues. Two problems plague cooking gas: a general shortage of 
benzene and a corrupt distribution channel. The representative also 
suggested that the MoO cease selling gasoline and instead auction it 
off to the international market to eliminate corruption and 
administrative bottlenecks. The rep noted the ministries hesitancy 
to completely open Iraq to the international community for fear they 
can sell cheaper fuel products. He also maintained that the MoO 
should not be responsible for the distribution of product. (Comment: 
Deputy Minister Mo'tasim Akram's views do not always represent those 
of the ministry. End Comment) 
 
¶6. Mr. Mo'tasim Akram presented a detailed report on the Al-Karkh 
Depot. The loading bridge of Al-Karkh was attacked on February 2. 
Four gasoline points and the roof were destroyed, but have since 
been rehabilitated by the depot's staff. According to the MoO 
representative, the loading bridge has been operational since the 
end of February. At the new Al-Latifiyyah depot, there are 25 tanks, 
21 of which are useable. Four are out of service due to fires. 
However, on November 16 a fire broke out at this depot and destroyed 
the high voltage system and pump units, including valve and pipe 
attachments. As a result, the depot is inoperable. Dr. Chalabi 
ordered the MoO to investigate the cause/s of the fire and work 
expeditiously to rehabilitate the depot. In the meantime, though, 
the MoO rehabilitated Al-Latifiyyah old depot. It has been loading 
trucks since the end of November. There are four tanks at this older 
depot; three capable of storing 10000 m3 of kerosene, gasoline and 
gasoline oil. A fourth tank is available for gasoline oil and can 
store 5000 m3. 
 
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Ministry of Commerce Talks PDS Again 
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¶7. Mentioning shortages in baby and adult milk as well as cooking 
oil, the Deputy Minister of Trade (MoTrade), Mrs. Sowaybah Mahmoud 
Zankanah, spent more time discussing funding needs. The ministry is 
seeking additional funds in 2008 because imported items continue to 
increase in price. The representative from the Ministry of Finance 
asked that the MoTrade consider eliminating certain food ration 
items and reduce quantities where possible. (Note: Scaling back 
benefits to the PDS program have been mentioned several times at 
 
BAGHDAD 00004014  002 OF 002 
 
 
this committee, but also at the Friday, I-ESC by the Prime Minister 
himself. End Note) 
 
¶8. A discussion about funding for INIC, the national ID card, 
followed. The MoTrade requested a $10m allocation to launch a 
hi-tech ID card project. The Ministry of Finance offered to fund it 
by transferring money from an unexecuted project. Mrs. Sowaybah was 
vehemently opposed to this. Dr. Chalabi suggested that the Ministry 
of Planning and Development Cooperation (MoPDC) be contacted to see 
if the investment budget had funds that could be dedicated to this 
end. 
 
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Comment 
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¶9. By our counts, the committee has made around 15 decisions; 2 
health related recommendations, 5 electricity recommendations, 3 
sewer, 1 trash, 1 security and 1 traffic recommendation or decision. 
The committee also passed a recommendation to create emergency 
service centers in the Russafa and Karkh districts on November 13. 
There are approximately 27 other suggestions and requests, not to 
mention the tasks associated with the field trips and the visits 
from the qada local officials. Many of those were not discussed at 
this meeting. 
 
 
Butenis