P 011143Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1544
INFO AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY KUWAIT PRIORITY 
IRAQ COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY RIYADH 
AMCONSUL DHAHRAN 
AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
DIA WASHDC
CIA WASHDC
NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L JEDDAH 000368 
 
 
NOFORN 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/I 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2029 
TAGS: IZ KIRF KISL KU OFDP PAL PGOV PHUM SA
SUBJECT: IRAQI CONSUL GENERAL IN JEDDAH MOVING TO KUWAIT AS 
CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, CLAIMING IRAQI MFA IS WITHHOLDING 
AMBASSADORIAL RANK FOR SECTARIAN REASONS 
 
Classified By: Consul General Martin R. Quinn for reasons 1.4 (b) 
and (d) 
 
1.(C/NF) At September 28 Libyan National Day reception in 
Jeddah, Iraqi Consul General Dr. Ajwad Sheikh Taha Hamad 
(strictly protect), Iraqi-Canadian dual national,told CG that 
he expects any day now (as soon as his visa is ready), to 
take up his new post in Kuwait as Charge d'Affaires. 
Confiding mixed feelings about the new posting after 
completing nearly four years in Jeddah, Dr. Hamad claimed 
that his own Foreign Ministry is not sending him with 
ambassadorial rank for what he believes are mainly "sectarian 
reasons."  Hamad said that he had seen a memo indicating that 
Shia in the Iraqi MFA had blocked his appointment as 
ambassador primarily because he is a Sunni. In addition to 
the sectarian factor, he said his age was used as a pretext: 
"why bother to make him an ambassador when he will be 
retiring soon anyway."  Hamad indicated that Iraqi diplomats 
normally retire at sixty-three although can be granted 
extensions; he indicated that he would attain that age in a 
year or so. 
 
¶2. (C/NF) Dr. Hamad complained about what he said was the 
extremely high volume of Iraqi "politicians" being rewarded 
with ambassadorships (citing a ratio of 60 political versus 5 
career appointments) and about his own situation as a "loyal 
bureaucrat" discriminated against as a Sunni even though many 
of his family were married to Shia. ("What can we do, carry 
the sectarian conflict into the bedroom?")  Hamad remarked 
that the Kuwait appointment was often sought after by Iraqi 
diplomats and his wife, currently residing in Ontario, 
Canada, is originally Kuwaiti.  Just returned from a trip to 
Baghdad, Hamad said the Foreign Minister told him he was 
"needed in Kuwait." Thus, Hamad said he was resigned to 
accept the assignment. 
 
¶3. (C/NF) COMMENT: A mild-mannered, bearded, be-spectacled, 
scholarly type, with a French doctorate in economics, Dr. 
Ajwad Hamad has professional background and expertise on oil 
issues.  In addition to having worked in the Iraqi Petroleum 
Ministry for several years, Hamad said he once ran a 
"consultancy business" in the early 90s in Kazakhstan, but 
gave it up and emigrated to Canada after Saddam Hussein 
placed several members of his family, including his mother, 
under arrest.  Friendly towards Americans, Hamad appears 
generally well regarded by his Jeddah counterparts. 
Nevertheless, he can be acerbicly critical of Arab 
colleagues, observing at the Libyan reception that the 
Palestinian consul general, an outgoing Gaza native, is 
"always the first in line to kiss the Saudi dignitaries." 
Hamad, like some other Iraqi diplomats we have met in the 
region, does not hesitate to express frank frustration with 
his own government and deep concern about Iranian/Shia 
influence in his country. END COMMENT. 
 
 
QUINN