VZCZCXRO8254
RR RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHBC #0034/01 1651311
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 141311Z JUN 09
FM REO BASRAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0880
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0457
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHBC/REO BASRAH 0917

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BASRAH 000034 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA PASS JOHN NALAND 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  6/14/2019 
TAGS: PREL GOV EAID IZ
SUBJECT: PRT ENGAGES BASRAH PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 
 
BASRAH 00000034  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Mark Bocchetti, PRT Team Leader, Director, US 
State Department. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Mark Bocchetti, PRT Team Leader, Director, US 
State Department. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
¶1. (C) Summary.  On June 3, PRT Basra met for the first time 
with the new Provincial Council as a group.  PRT acting team 
leader delivered short remarks to remind Iraqis that U.S. 
military withdrawal does not mean U.S. withdrawal, and that the 
U.S. civilian presence will endure so long as the bilateral 
relationship remains strong.  Provincial Council (PC) Chairman 
Jabbar Amin al-Latif (Da'wa Tanzim) responded positively, 
proposing that the PRT and the Council jointly develop goals and 
coordinate across a broader range of committees.  Members posed 
questions on education, economic development and other issues. 
Council members tell us that, behind the scenes, internal 
bickering within the Prime Minister's dominant coalition - 
especially between the Governor's Da'wa Central faction and the 
PC Chairman's Da'wa Tanzim group - has slowed engagement.  End 
summary. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Explaining the Evolving Relationship 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) The PRT leadership, including section heads for 
economic and essential services, met with the new Provincial 
Council for the first time in a well-attended meeting held at 
the PC's downtown offices.  More than 20 of the 35 members 
participated, representing all parties on the PC.  In short 
opening remarks, the acting team leader emphasized that, in 
accord with the Strategic Framework Agreement, the U.S.-Iraqi 
relationship will endure as cooperation spreads into many 
non-security areas.  He also explained that MNF-I had elected to 
make CERP resources available for projects to support Provincial 
Councils.  The PRT and the 2nd Brigade of the 4th Infantry 
Division already had moved to put this pledge into practice by 
assembling a package of projects to repair and improve the 
R-Zero water plant, which provides some 70 percent of Basra's 
water. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In introducing section heads, the team leader 
emphasized that the PRT would like to work broadly with the new 
PC, with the PRT's individual sections engaging directly with PC 
committees on essential services and economic development.  PC 
Chairman Jabbar responded that he would like to avoid the 
"negative" model of interaction employed by the prior PC, in 
which all communications with the PRT were channeled through the 
Provincial Reconstruction Development Committee (PRDC).  He then 
introduced all the subcommittee chairmen present at the meeting. 
 (Note: the 35-member council has 21 committees.)  We noted that 
new PRT team leader John Naland would arrive in Basra on June 20. 
 
----------------- 
Everyone's Issues 
----------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Subcommittee chairmen used the meeting as a platform to 
lobby for (or at least inquire about) cooperation with the PRT 
in their area.  We attempted to point out areas of past, present 
and future cooperation without unduly raising expectations.  Dr. 
Mansour Ameen (Da'wa Central), head of the health and 
environment committee, asked about projects to upgrade 
hospitals, and projects aimed at women and children.  We replied 
that the PRT is considering whether to support an NGO-led 
project focused on primary health care.  Salman Daoud (Da'wa 
Central), chairman of the education committee, said that Basra 
needs 36 new schools a year but the province does have funding 
for new buildings.  Team leader noted that the Coalition had 
built and refurbished scores of schools in the province, but 
said that the USG at this time does not plan a major new 
education initiative. 
 
¶5. (C) Since the new PC contains only one returning member and 
only a handful with relevant experience in municipal or 
provincial government, new committee chairmen expressed 
conflicting perceptions of how PRT and military assistance 
programs in Basra operate.  Mustafa Resan (Da'wa Tanzim), 
chairman of the Reconstruction Committee, criticized 
implementation of projects by the Army Corps of Engineers, UK 
military civil affairs, and the Joint Reconstruction Action Team 
program, asserting that projects had been initiated without the 
approval of the previous PC.  However, Ismail Ghazi Uda (Iraqi 
National Accord), the new head of the essential services 
 
BASRAH 00000034  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
committee and the former Director General for Municipality, 
intervened and told Resan that all projects had been approved by 
the previous PC and coordinated with the municipality. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Governor, PC Chair continue rivalry 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) The meeting with the Council was constructive and left 
the impression that, as PC Chairman Jabbar pledged, the new PC 
is ready to work together and with the PRT.  However, other 
council members tell a more somber tale in which internal 
infighting has delayed PC efforts to engage. In a meeting at the 
PRT on June 4, Da'wa Central party member Dayaa Jafar described 
the adversarial relationship among the State of Law coalition's 
three member lists - and especially between Da'wa Central and 
Da'wa Tanzim - which he blamed for the PC's inability to move 
forward expeditiously.  Jafar explained that the three sides 
remain bitter over the appointment of the provincial 
government's five executive positions - including the governor 
and PC chairman - which were decided by the coalition at the 
national level.  The fallout of that decision, he said, was 
slowing cooperation among coalition members.  Jafar, who himself 
felt entitled to the governorship, resigned his seat in protest 
several weeks ago. 
 
¶7. (C) On June 6, PC member Dr. Saad Mati Potrous 
(Christian-designated seat) painted a similar picture of tension 
within the ruling State of Law coalition.  According to Dr. 
Potrous, PC Chairman Jabar Ameen (Da'wa Tanzim) remains bitter 
over the choice of Dr. Shiltagh Abud (Da'wa Central) for 
governor.  On June 4, Jabar Ameen allegedly refused a request by 
Dr. Shiltagh for 17 billion Iraqi dinar from a PC-controlled 
reserve remaining from a tax on imports that was eliminated 
after Operation Charge of the Knights.  At this point, Dr. 
Potrous reported, the governor's office has no money.  He said 
Shiltagh would travel to Baghdad on June 7 to discuss the matter 
with Prime Minister Maliki. 
BOCCHETTI