VZCZCXRO3548
OO RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHC #8966/01 2841620
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 101616Z OCT 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 2571
INFO IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 1466
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC 1812

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 108966 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR PREL IZ AS
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST-AUSTRALIAN PARTICIPATION IN IRAQ 
PRTS 
 
REF: BAGHDAD 3050 
 
 ¶1. (U) This is an action request.  See paragraph 3. 
 
 
Purpose 
------- 
 
¶2. (U) Embassy Baghdad would like to selectively expand 
international participation in the Iraq Provincial 
Reconstruction Team (PRT) program (reftel) and has identified 
agriculture as an element of the PRT program appropriate for 
partners, participation.  Australia has a proven record in 
addressing complex agricultural issues, especially in 
irrigation management and farm and processing mechanization, 
which have parallels in Iraq.  We believe Australian 
agricultural specialists could make a significant 
contribution.  Department would like to invite Australia to 
participate in the Iraq PRT program. 
 
 
Objectives 
---------- 
 
¶3. (U) Department requests Embassy Canberra demarche the GOA, 
in pursuit of the following objectives: 
 
-- Request the GOA provide agricultural specialists in 
irrigation management and farm and processing mechanization 
to work in the Iraq PRT program. 
 
-- Request these agricultural specialists, in coordination 
with Embassy Baghdad,s Office of Provincial Affairs (OPA), 
develop strategies to address Iraq agricultural issues in 
irrigation management and farm and processing mechanization. 
 
 
Deadline 
-------- 
 
¶4. (U) Department requests Post report the results of this 
demarche via cable by October 14--please slug NEA DAS Richard 
Schmierer and NEA/I Aja Bonsu.  NEA plans to follow up with 
the Australian Embassy on October 16. 
 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶5. (U) Australia,s potential participation in the Iraq PRT 
program was informally discussed with the Australian 
delegation to the Friends of Iraq Conference, June 17-19 in 
Abu Dhabi.  On a separate occasion in Baghdad, Ambassador 
Crocker also informally discussed GOA,s potential 
participation in the Iraq PRT program with Australia,s 
Ambassador to Iraq and Minister of Defense.  Australian 
officials in Abu Dhabi agreed to consider the proposal if the 
U.S. would provide a more detailed request for participation. 
 Reftel provides background on Iraq,s needs and how 
Australia,s agricultural experience and expertise could meet 
this need.  Post may also find the following information 
useful: 
 
--  Despite the size and potential of Iraq,s agriculture 
industry, Iraq is not food-secure.  Iraq suffers from years 
of infrastructure neglect, lack of up-to-date technologies, 
and policies that are not conducive to increasing 
productivity and competing in world markets.  Australian 
participation in the Iraq PRT program could alleviate some of 
these issues. 
 
-- Australian officials have agreed to consider a proposal 
requesting the GOA provide agriculture specialists for some 
PRTs.  However, they requested more details, including the 
number of specialists needed, the types of expertise 
required, and the locations where these specialists would be 
deployed.  Department believes that at least six agricultural 
specialists in irrigation management and farm and processing 
mechanization, deployed initially for one year, would be 
optimum.  Department anticipates the specialists in 
irrigation management would be deployed in Iraq,s Najaf, 
Ninawa, and Diwaniya provinces.  Department anticipates the 
specialists in farm and processing mechanization would be 
 
STATE 00108966  002 OF 002 
 
 
deployed in Iraq,s Baghdad, Erbil, and Najaf provinces. 
 
 
Point of Contact 
---------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Please contact Aja Bonsu (NEA,s Office of Iraq 
Provincial Reconstruction, Transition, and Stabilization 
Affairs; 202-647-5919; BonsuAC@state.gov or 
BonsuAC@state.sgov.gov) with any questions or concerns about 
this demarche. 
RICE