VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHGB #3039 3220728
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180728Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5485
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003039
SIPDIS
PLEASE PASS TO S/ES-CR AND NEA/I
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPDC EINV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: LETTER TO THE SECRETARY FROM DR. SAMI AL-ARAJI,
CHAIRMAN, IRAQ NATIONAL INVESTMENT COMMISSION
1. Post has received a diplomatic note from the GOI dated 4
November 2009 forwarding a letter to the Secretary from Dr.
Sami Al-Araji, Chairman, Iraq National Investment Commission.
Text of the Diplomatic Note and Letter follow:
2. Begin Text of Diplomatic Note
Republic of Iraq
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
North, South America & Caribbean Sea Department
No: 05/1/36810
Date: 4 November 2009
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States
of America in Baghdad and has the honor to enclose the letter
from Dr. Sami Al-Araji, Chairman of the Iraqi National
Investment Commission - No: M.R.S/2672 dated 29 October 2009
- to Her Excellency Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Secretary of
State.
The Ministry would be grateful if the U.S. Embassy can
deliver the above mentioned letter to its proper destination.
The Ministry avails itself of the opportunity to express the
Embassy of the United States of America its highest
appreciation and respect.
(Signed)
(Stamped)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
North, South America & Caribbean Sea Department
Embassy of the United States of America/Baghdad
End Text of Diplomatic Note
3. Text of the Letter follows:
The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State of the United States of America
United States Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Madam Secretary,
On behalf of the Iraq National Investment Commission (NIC)
and the business community of Iraq, I would like to thank you
for joining us at last week's U.S. - Iraq Business and
Investment Conference in Washington, D.C., for your address
to the many participants, and for your manifest support for
our mission.
I appreciate in particular your very positive focus on Iraq's
potential across the board. I feel that your emphasis set
exactly the right tone and perspective for the audience and
for the moment. Our progress in establishing a stable
environment for investment has been very broad, as you
pointed out. Our way forward is also quite clear, and your
encouragement was telling and on target. Your message rang
very true: With the necessary work proceeding on all these
fronts, Iraq is truly open for business and full of
opportunities. We are at a crossroads in our journey to an
Iraq that is a peaceful and productive member of the
community of nations.
Please allow me as well to express to you personally my
thanks for your support for the priorities and opportunities
that we discussed at the conference. It is very heartening
to know of your personal interest in what we plan and hope to
do in both the near and longer term, especially the housing
project. Undersecretary Hormats phoned me and relayed your
support for us to realize this project, and I am grateful for
it.
Please accept my warmest regards,
Very truly yours,
Dr. Sami Al-Araji, Chairman
Iraqi National Investment Commission
End Text of Letter
HILL