VZCZCXRO6920
PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHDIR RUEHIHL RUEHIK RUEHKUK
RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHKU #0453/01 1151211
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241211Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1283
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0317
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 1199
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 3127
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 0481
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 000453 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/ARP, NEA/I 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM PBTS KU
SUBJECT: FINAL COMMUNIQU OF THE EXPANDED MINISTERIAL 
CONFERENCE OF THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES 
 
¶1.  On April 22, the participants of the Expanded Ministerial 
Conference of the Neighbouring Countries of Iraq issued a 
final communiqu listing agreements reached during the 
conference.  Text of the communiqu is included below. 
Overview of conference reported septel. 
 
¶2.  Begin text. 
 
Final Communiqu of the Expanded Ministerial Conference of 
the Neighbouring Countries of Iraq, Egypt and Bahrain and the 
Permanent Members of the UN Security Council and the G8 
 
Kuwait, 22nd of April 2008 
 
     Upon the invitation of the State of Kuwait and the 
Republic of Iraq, the Foreign Ministers of the Neighbouring 
Countries of Iraq, Egypt, Bahrain, UAE, Oman, Qatar and the 
Permanent Members of the UN Security Council and the G8 held 
a meeting in Kuwait on the 22nd of April, 2008.  The United 
Nations, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Arab 
League, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union 
also took part in the meeting.  The meeting was designed to 
contribute concretely to the government and the people of 
Iraq's efforts to restore permanent peace, stability, and 
prosperity in their country through invigoration of the 
existing national reconciliation dialogue, in combating 
terrorism, strengthening the rule of law and widening 
participation in the political process. The meeting aimed to 
provide ongoing strong and effective support to both the 
government and people of Iraq.  The meeting also served the 
purpose of the participant countries to reiterate their 
commitment to Iraq's territorial integrity, unity, full 
sovereignty and independence, and non-interference in its 
internal affairs.  The meeting affirmed its continuous 
implementation of the obligation that it has committed to 
undertake in this regard. 
 
The participants agreed to: 
 
¶1. Reaffirm the respect of national unity, independence, full 
sovereignty, territorial integrity, Arab and Islamic Identity 
of Iraq; commit to the preservation of Iraq's internationally 
recognized borders, and pledge to adhere to a comprehensive 
and consistent commitment to the principle of 
non-interference in Iraq's internal affairs; stressing the 
right of the Iraqi people to freely determine their political 
system and political future and control their natural and 
financial resources, 
 
¶2. Affirm the full support for Iraq and its people and the 
efforts of the constitutionally elected Iraqi government and 
Council of Representatives; to achieve the goals of the Iraqi 
people in a speedy and effective manner for a free, 
prosperous, stable, united, democratic and federal Iraq that 
ensures the fundamental and equal rights of the Iraqi people 
to peacefully participate in the ongoing political process, 
 
¶3. Reconfirm the commitment of the International Community 
and Iraq's neighbors to promote peace, stability, and 
security in Iraq which shall reflect positively on the 
security and stability of the region and the interests of its 
people and the international community as a whole, 
 
¶4. Welcome the establishment of the Ad-Hoc Support Mechanism 
formed by the Iraqi government within the Iraqi MOFA as 
adopted in the Expanded Iraq Neighbours Ministerial 
Conference held in Istanbul on November 3, 2007; also approve 
the Terms of Reference of the Ad Hoc Support Mechanism, and 
call upon all concerned countries and organizations to 
cooperate with its work, 
 
¶5. The conference reviewed and adopted the recommendations of 
the three committees (the Energy Committee, the Committee of 
Displaced Iraqis, and the Committee of Security Coordination 
and Cooperation) as attached to this final communiqu; 
affirmed the importance of their implementation by all 
concerned states; and looked forward to the three committees 
convening their next sessions - on security in Damascus, 
energy in Istanbul, and displaced persons in Amman - as soon 
as possible, 
 
 
KUWAIT 00000453  002 OF 003 
 
 
¶6. Support the efforts of the Iraqi Government in broadening 
the political process, strengthening the elected 
institutions, reinforcing political dialogue and national 
reconciliation, assisting vulnerable groups including the 
internally and externally displaced persons, and promoting 
the protection of human right and judicial and legal reform, 
 
¶7. Encourage all Iraqis to engage in comprehensive political 
dialogue and national reconciliation for the sake of Iraq's 
stability, unity, and its sustainable development, 
 
¶8. Stress the importance to achieve Iraqi national 
reconciliation and accord, praising the role of the Iraqi 
government in this regard, and calling on the Arab League to 
continue its efforts in coordination and cooperation with the 
Iraqi government and concerned parties, 
 
¶9. Applaud the continuous effort by the Iraqi government to 
confront those who foment violence throughout Iraq; commend 
the role of the Iraqi armed and security forces in 
confronting and deterring the recent threats posed by armed 
groups; and welcome the Government's commitment to disarm and 
dismantle all militias and extra-governmental armed groups, 
enforcing the rule of law, and ensuring the State's monopoly 
on armed forces, 
 
¶10. Stress the principle of the Iraqi national identity and 
invite all components of the Iraqi people to work for the 
enhancement of the National Unity, regardless of their 
political trends and ethnic and sectarian affiliations; and 
seek to employ the historical multi-cultural heritage as a 
mean of unification not division, 
 
¶11. Call upon international and regional concerned 
organizations (UNESCO, ALECSO, ISESCO, and IRCICA) to 
contribute to the preservation and revitalization of the 
historical heritage of Iraq, that has been destroyed or 
damaged due to the war; and welcome active support from the 
neighbours and international community for their effort, and 
to help the Iraqi people to retrieve their stolen heritage, 
 
¶12. Acknowledge the determined endeavors of the Syrian, 
Jordanian and Egyptian governments in generously hosting 
Iraqis; recognize the obligations of Iraq and the 
international community in supporting host countries to 
address the resulting burdens on their services, 
infrastructure, and resources and to create conditions 
conducive to a voluntary, safe, and dignified return, 
 
¶13. Acknowledge the importance of the International Compact 
with Iraq for the political reconciliation and reconstruction 
of this country,  and its commitment to assist the government 
of Iraq through political and economic reform, capacity 
building and providing conditions for sustainable 
development; in this context, recognize the role and 
potential of neighboring countries in the construction of 
Iraq, welcome the decision of the Paris Club, and invite all 
the creditors to Iraq to follow its example, in a way that 
contributes in reducing Iraqi debts; welcome the willingness 
of the government of Sweden to host the next session of the 
International Compact with Iraq; and welcome the contribution 
of Iraq's neighbours and regional states in the development 
of economic progress in Iraq, 
 
¶14. Affirm the efforts of the United Nations and commend 
UNAMI's important role  in providing support, consultation, 
assistance and coordination with the Iraqi government 
according to the Security Council Resolution "1770" of 
(2007), and other relevant Security Council resolutions; 
welcome the active assistance of UNAMI to the establishment 
of the Ad-Hoc support mechanism and to its activities to 
support and develop regional dialogue on Iraq, 
 
¶15. Encourage and urge all states, in particular the 
neighbours of Iraq, to open or reopen their diplomatic 
missions, and enhance those existing by raising the level of 
representation, and expedite the sending of their Ambassadors 
to Iraq, which will contribute in the improvement and 
development of  bilateral relations; welcome the opening of 
the Office of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in 
Baghdad as an encouraging development that will enable the 
 
KUWAIT 00000453  003 OF 003 
 
 
Organization to follow up its initiatives more actively, 
including its Mecca Declaration initiative; welcome states 
who decided to re-open their embassies in Baghdad; and urge 
the government of Iraq to expedite its appointment of 
Ambassadors to neighbouring countries and others, 
 
¶16. Condemn the aggression and war crimes of the former 
regime of Iraq against peoples of Iraq, Islamic Republic of 
Iran and the State of Kuwait; condemn the killing of Kuwaiti 
war-prisoners and nationals of other countries at the hands 
of the former regime in Iraq, and the former Iraqi regime's 
coverage of these crimes for over ten years, which is 
considered a violation of international 
humanitarian law; and welcome the steps being taken by Iraq 
to take the perpetrators of these crimes to courts, and also 
welcome the appointment of Ambassador Gennady Tarasov as UN 
High- Level coordinator and commend the efforts of his 
predecessor , the late Ambassador Yuli Voronstov and his 
achievements during his work in this humanitarian issue; 
invite all concerned parties to continue their cooperation 
with the International Red Cross Committee to uncover the 
fate of the rest of the missing Kuwaiti citizens and others, 
 
¶17. Condemn all acts of terrorism in all its forms in Iraq, 
call for the immediate cessation of all such acts, support 
the Iraqi Government's increasing efforts in combating 
terrorism including all efforts to prevent Iraqi territory 
from being used as a base for terrorism against neighbouring 
countries and vice versa; and takes note of the bilateral 
arrangements concluded between Iraq and neighbouring 
countries regarding the fight against terrorism, in this 
regard, support Iraqi government efforts to strengthen the 
capabilities of its armed and security forces to assume full 
security responsibility in the country, 
 
¶18. Reaffirm the obligations of all states, in accordance 
with international law, relevant international agreements, UN 
Security Council Resolutions 1546 (2004) and 1618 (2005), and 
other relevant Security Council resolutions, to combat 
terrorist activities and prevent the use by terrorists of 
their territory for supplying, organizing and launching 
terrorist operations, and help Iraq to expel the terrorist 
organizations out of its territories, 
 
¶19. Support the joint efforts of Iraq and its neighbouring 
countries to prevent the transit of terrorists and illegal 
arms to and from Iraq; re-emphasize the importance of 
strengthening cooperation between Iraq and its neighbouring 
countries to control their common borders and prevent all 
kinds of illicit trafficking, including financial and 
logistical support for terrorists and terrorist 
organizations; and refuse instigation of violence and terror, 
 
¶20. Reconfirm the decisions of the Neighbouring Countries 
Interior Ministerial Meetings and welcome the outcome of the 
last meeting which took place in Kuwait on October 23, 2007, 
and call for the cooperation with its secretariat based in 
Iraq, 
 
¶21. Welcome the convening of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary 
Union Conference which took place in the city of Irbil in 
Iraq on 11 March, 2008. 
 
The participants expressed their appreciation to the State of 
Kuwait for hosting the conference, and expressed their desire 
and hope to hold the Fourth Expanded Ministerial Meeting in 
Baghdad. 
 
End Text. 
 
********************************************* * 
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
********************************************* * 
Jones