INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Prt Maysan Meets with Governor for First Time

Published: Sun 2 Mar 2008 12:00 PM
VZCZCXYZ0095
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHC #0614 0621200
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021200Z MAR 08
FM SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC
TO RHMCSUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6002
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS BAGHDAD 000614
SIPDIS
SBU
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: PRT MAYSAN MEETS WITH GOVERNOR FOR FIRST TIME
1. (SBU) THIS IS A PRT MAYSAN REPORTING CABLE.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: ON FEBRUARY 25 MAYSAN PRT MET WITH
GOVERNOR ADIL MOHUDER RADI AL-MALIKI AND HIS SENIOR ADVISOR,
ZAID HOSHI AL-KALLAF TO DISCUSS SECURITY, ONGOING PROJECTS,
AND TEAM ACCESS TO THE PROVINCE. THE PRT PRESSED THE
GOVERNOR ON THE ISSUE OF ACCESS, A POINT THE GOVERNOR
ACKNOWLEDGED BUT WAS RELUCTANT TO COMMIT TO SPECIFICS GIVEN
THE THREAT OF "GANGS AND FUGITIVES." GOVERNOR ADIL SAID
MAYSAN HAD "MOVED FORWARD" BUT NEEDED IDEAS AND EXPERIENCE
FROM THE PRT. HE BELIEVES HE HAS BUILT A SYSTEM FOR BRINGING
ONGOING PROJECTS TO CONCLUSION AND SEEKS PRT ASSISTANCE
TRAINING MAYSANI ENGINEERS TO DEVELOP CRITICAL-NEED SKILL
SETS; PARTICULARLY SKILLS WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES. HE ALSO
SEEKS FUNDING FOR NEW PROJECTS. END SUMMARY.
PRT ACCESS TO MAYSAN
--------------------
3. (SBU) THE PRT PRESSED THE GOVERNOR ON THE ISSUE OF ACCESS
TO THE PROVINCE, EXPLAINING THAT, WHILE MAYSANI ENGINEERS
WERE CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF PROJECTS IN MAYSAN, THE US
GOVERNMENT HAD STRICT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MONITORING OF
PROJECTS THAT IT FUNDS. THE GOVERNOR AGREED IN PRINCIPLE ON
THE NEED FOR PRT ACCESS TO MAYSAN AND SAID THAT HE WAS "READY
TO COOPERATE FOR ANY VISIT AT ANY TIME." HOWEVER, HE
CONTINUED, THERE EXIST COMPLICATIONS THAT DEMAND A "CAUTIOUS
AND CAREFUL" APPROACH TO ENTRY TO THE PROVINCE. ARE
GROUPS THAT WANT TO BUILD A BARRIER BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT
AND THE PRT,8 HE ELABORATED, "TO GENERATE CHAOS AND ALLOW
INTERNATIONAL ACTORS TO MOVE FURTHER INTO MAYSAN. ILLEGAL
THINGS ARE NOT BEING DONE BY MAYSANIS, BUT BY FOREIGN
GOVERNMENTS." THE GOVERNOR REPEATEDLY MENTIONED THE THREAT
POSED BY "GANGS AND GROUPS" CONTROLLED BY OUTSIDE ELEMENTS,
ALTHOUGH HE ASSERTED THAT THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT WAS
WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO "DO AWAY WITH
THESE GANGS AND FUGITIVES." HE CONCLUDED THAT EVEN AS HE
WORKS AGAINST THESE OUTSIDE FORCES HE MUST NOT IMPERIL HIS
POPULATION.
4. (SBU) THE TEAM REGIONAL SECURITY OFFICER SUGGESTED
ESTABLISHING A SECURITY COUNTERPART FOR THE TEAM TO
COORDINATE MEETING AND SECURITY DETAILS. GOVERNOR ADIL
AGREED AND SAID HE WOULD WORK WITH THE "CHIEF OF ARMY" TO
IDENTIFY A SECURITY POINT OF CONTACT.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
-------------------------
5. (SBU) THE GOVERNOR OUTLINED A PROJECT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
THAT HE SAID ENSURES ADEQUATE COORDINATION AND SUPERVISION
FOR PROJECTS IN MAYSAN. THE SYSTEM HINGES ON A CENTER OF
PLANNING AND STRATEGY, COMPRISED OF A COORDINATION
DEPARTMENT, CONSULTANT COMMITTEE, AND SUPERVISING OFFICE.
HEADED BY MR. ZAID, THE COORDINATION DEPARTMENT MANAGES THE
MULTITUDE OF PROJECTS STAGING IN MAYSAN PROVINCE. THE
CONSULTANT COMMITTEE DECIDES WHICH PROJECTS TO PURSUE BASED
ON THE TECHNICAL DETAILS OF EACH PROJECT. FINALLY, THE
CENTER OF PLANNING AND STRATEGY,S SUPERVISING OFFICE, MADE
UP OF 150 IRAQI ENGINEERS, SUPERVISES WORKERS ON PROJECT
SITES AND CARRIES OUT PROJECTS DESIGNED IN THE CONSULTANT
COMMITTEE.
COMMENT: GOVERNOR KEEPING PRT AT ARM,S LENGTH
---------------------------------------------
6. (SBU) IT IS CLEAR THE GOVERNOR APPRECIATES THE PRT / GRS
NEED FOR PHYSICAL ACCESS TO THE PROVINCE. WHAT IS EQUALLY
CLEAR IS HIS RELUCTANCE TO EXTEND A CONCRETE INVITATION TO
VISIT. END COMMENT.
CROCKER
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