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Viewing cable 08STATE70826, DEMARCHE REQUEST: INSTRUCTIONS TO LOBBY GOI ON

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08STATE70826 2008-07-02 00:11 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Secretary of State
VZCZCXRO7683
OO RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHTRO
DE RUEHC #0826/01 1840008
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 020011Z JUL 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 9316
INFO IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 2356
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 070826 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST: INSTRUCTIONS TO LOBBY GOI ON 
FUNDING FOR UNAMI COMPOUND 
 
REF: A. KUJAWINSKI-PHEE EMAIL 06-17-08 
     B. STATE 46440 
     C. BAGHDAD 1425 
 
1.  (U) This is an action request.  Please see paragraphs 2 
and 5. 
 
OBJECTIVE 
 
2.  (SBU) Embassy Baghdad is requested to again lobby the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs to obtain a substantial GOI 
contribution for the funding of the proposed new United 
Nations compound in Baghdad.  Embassy is asked to coordinate 
its demarche, as needed, with the UK Embassy in Baghdad. 
UNAMI will demarche the GOI separately, as a follow-on to the 
U.S., or US-UK, demarche. 
 
BACKGROUND 
 
3. (SBU) On June 15, 2008 the Deputy Secretary of the Council 
of Ministers, Ali Hassan Ismail, wrote to UNAMI to confirm 
that 40,000 square meters of land due west of the al-Sujud 
Palace, within the International Zone, had been dedicated by 
the GOI for use by the UN, for the duration of 25 years.  The 
UN is planning to build a secure compound for the UN 
Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) on this dedicated plot of 
land.  Embassy Baghdad has endorsed this location and plan 
(Ref A). 
 
4.  (U) Although the allocation of this land is a step in the 
right direction, UN Member States may be resistant to 
approving the compound,s construction without a substantial 
GOI contribution to its funding.  Earlier indications from 
the GOI suggested that an Iraqi contribution of up to $100 
million could be available (Ref B). (Comment: That was on the 
basis of an earlier assessment that a new compound would cost 
approximately $200 million. End comment.) Although the 
compound is now expected to cost only $98.6 million, Member 
States will expect an Iraqi contribution, with some 
expressing the hope that this would cover 50 percent of the 
total cost.  We suspect 50 percent is too high an amount to 
expect the Iraqis to provide, but we would like them to make 
a contribution in the tens of millions of dollars. 
 
TALKING POINTS 
 
5. (U) In speaking to the MFA, Post may draw on the following 
points: 
 
-- UNAMI,s presence in Iraq benefits the GOI and the people 
of Iraq. It continues to play a key role in addressing issues 
such as internally disputed boundaries, elections, 
humanitarian assistance, refugee returns, and national 
reconciliation. 
 
-- In order to operate more effectively, the UN has made 
clear that new premises are necessary to accommodate 
additional staff and undertake additional activities, all in 
accordance with its expanded mandate under UNSCR 1770.  We 
support this and understand the GOI and the UN have agreed 
upon a suitable location.  We welcome this step forward. 
 
-- However, agreement for the construction of the compound 
must still be obtained from UN member states.  The ACABQ (UN 
budget committee) will first receive a briefing by a UNAMI 
representative and make a recommendation on funding. 
 
-- This recommendation will then be considered by the 5th 
Committee of the UN, which includes all Member States and 
operates by consensus.  The 5th Committee will decide whether 
to approve the construction.  Whatever percentage of the 
total construction cost is not paid for by the GOI must be 
paid for out of the assessed contributions of all UN Member 
States; therefore, the more money the Iraqis contribute, the 
less money UN Member States will need to contribute, and the 
more likely they will be to approve the construction. 
 
-- There is ample precedent for a country like Iraq to 
contribute substantially to UN operations on its territory. 
For instance, Kuwait paid for two-thirds of the operating 
costs of the UN Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission (UNIKOM) from 
November 1993 until the completion of the Mission in 2003, 
with the remainder paid for by assessed contributions of 
Member States.  The total cost of UNIKOM from its inception 
 
STATE 00070826  002 OF 002 
 
 
in 1991 until 2003 was approximately $600 million.  In 
addition, Cyprus currently funds one-third of the cost of 
maintaining the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), 
and Greece contributed an additional $6.5 million to the 
total budget of $48.1 million from July 2007 to June 2008. 
 
-- We believe it is important for the GOI to confirm in 
writing that it is willing to make a significant 
contribution.  This should be done in advance of the next 
ACABQ meeting, which has not yet been scheduled. 
 
-- A significant GOI contribution will increase the 
likelihood of getting UN approval for the compound,s 
construction and may increase goodwill towards Iraq at the UN 
on issues of concern to Iraq, such as the DFI. 
 
REPORTING DEADLINE 
 
6.  (U) Embassy should report results of efforts in a cable 
by Thursday, July 10. 
 
POINTS OF CONTACT 
 
7.  (U) Please contact Josh Davis in NEA/I at (202) 647-8169 
or via email at DavisJR@state.gov and/or Bridget Lines in 
IO/UNP at (202) 647-7142 or LinesBM@state.gov for any further 
background information. 
RICE 
RICE