VZCZCXRO9820
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBC RUEHBW RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIHL
RUEHIK RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR
RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHRL #0615 1301504
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091504Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1179
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0218
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0599
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
UNCLAS BERLIN 000615
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/I/ECON KEVIN TAECKER
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IZ EAID ECON EFIN EINV PGOV PREL GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY WILL PARTICIPATE IN INT'L COMPACT WITH
IRAQ MINISTERIAL
REF: STATE 43799
1. (U) PolOff delivered Ref A points to MFA Iraq Desk
Director Dr. Ruediger Lotz May 7. Lotz noted that Germany
would again participate in the International Compact with
Iraq (ICI) Ministerial in Stockholm. Due to scheduling
reasons, FM Steinmeier will likely not attend, but State
Secretary Silberberg will lead the German delegation.
2. (SBU) Lotz noted that Germany shares similar goals with
the U.S. and is prepared to provide additional technical
expertise to Iraq if requested. He continued that a positive
step would be if Iraq were to arrive at the conference ready
to provide input and information to the international
community regarding specific programs and economic
development projects, allowing interested partners to respond
positively.
3. (SBU) Lotz highlighted the success of the opening of the
German Embassy Field Office in Erbil and his hopes to expand
that office to a full consulate in the future. He also
expressed interest in exploring the option of starting a
sister city or brother university program between German and
Iraqi institutions.
TIMKEN JR