VZCZCXRO3773
OO RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUCNDT #0301 0951622
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041622Z APR 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4047
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000301 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON UN ACTIVITIES IN IRAQ; UN REQUESTS U.S. 
MILAD 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: USUN and UKUN met April 3 with the UN,s 
Iraq team to discuss substantive and logistical issues 
involving the UN Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI).  The UN 
pressed for USG approval to assign a U.S. military advisor to 
the UNAMI team; the UN is actively looking to expand its 
presence throughout Iraq, and claim the expansion requires 
additional milads, especially from the U.S. or other 
coalition country.  On elections, the UN is optimistic that 
elections can be held in 2008, and expects that a 30-day 
voter registration drive will begin June 1.  On Article 140, 
the UN reported that it was working with four districts in 
the north to gauge the willingness of all sides to 
compromise, before tackling Kirkuk.   In this regard, UNAMI 
considers its relations with the KRG to be "excellent."  End 
summary. 
 
UN PUSHES FOR A U.S. MILAD 
 
¶2. (SBU) The UN,s team leader on Iraq, Darko Mocibob, as 
well as visiting UNAMI chief of staff Siddharth Chatterjee, 
raised the UN,s request for six additional military advisors 
in a meeting with USUN and UKUN April 3.  They reported they 
had received positive indications from Italy, and are engaged 
in serious dicussions withothers, including Australia, Canada 
and Japan.  These additional milads are needed, said Mocibob 
and Chatterjee, if UNAMI is to expand beyond Baghdad, Irbil 
and Basrah.  The UN hopes to have a future presence in Najaf, 
Anbar, Kirkuk, Dahuk, and Sulaminiyah, but cannot begin 
without the milads, which serve as a liaison to MNF-I and the 
Iraqi military, a role that is a precondition for a UN 
presence.  Both emphasized the importance of a U.S. milad, 
preferably with experience in theater, to serve as the point 
person for UNAMI,s dealings with MNF-I.  They noted that the 
U.S. has never seconded a milad to UNAMI, despite previous 
requests.  Poloff promised to report this request, but 
encouraged UNAMI to discuss this issue with MNF-I in Baghdad 
to see if an informal arrangement could be reached. 
 
LONG-TERM COMPOUND UPDATE 
 
¶3. (SBU) Mocibob said progress was slow but steady on the 
long-term compound.  UN management in New York has asked for 
clarification on a number of issues, and UNAMI is working to 
respond to these questions.  The two major outstanding issues 
involve pending requests before the Iraqi government: a 
request to grant the UN a lien in writing for 25 years rent 
of the compound site, and a request for more details 
regarding the Iraqi government,s promise to defray a 
percentage of the costs of the compound, currently budgeted 
at 98.2 million dollars.  Chatterjee asked that the U.S. and 
UK raise these two issues with the Iraqis.  SRSG de Mistura 
plans to address the UN,s budget committee at the beginning 
of May, and needs a response from the Iraqis on these two 
issues before that meeting. 
 
ARTICLE 140 AND ELECTIONS 
 
¶4. (SBU) Mocibob said UNAMI has begun work in four districts 
along the disputed boundary in the north, before tackling 
Kirkuk.  Chatterjee described UNAMI relations with the KRG as 
"excellent," and emphasized that any long-term solution to 
Article 140 and Kirkuk will require passage of the 
long-delayed oil revenue law.  On elections, the UN is proud 
of its role in arranging the recent selection of governorate 
election officers, and is now optimistic regarding the 
prospects for holding an election in 2008.  The Council of 
Representatives has begun the process of allocating 100 
million USD to begin the election preparations, which starts 
with a 30-day voter registration period, currently set for 
June 1. 
KHALILZAD