Excerpt from document
(S//NF) The Government of Iraq (GOI) officially supports a
plan to adopt a host-country led MANPADS reduction program
(subsequently "MANPADS program", reftel). National Security
Council Director General Khamza Sharif Hasan told Pol-Miloff
February 2 that the Prime Minister agreed to support the
proposed MANPADS program, although the PM's office would need
to review the details in a proposed Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU).

Full Document
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DE RUEHGB #0288 0351034
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R 041034Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
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INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
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Content
S E C R E T BAGHDAD 000288

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/I, PM (PLEASE PASS TO COSTNER, DIAZ, MORIMOTO)
DEPT ALSO FOR NCTC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2025
TAGS: IZ, PARM, PGOV, PREL, PTER, MASS, MARR
SUBJECT: IRAQ AGREES TO MANPADS REDUCTION PROGRAM

REF: 09 STATE 0487

Classified By: Pol-Mil Minister Counselor Cameron Munter, reasons 1.4 b
-d

1. (U) This cable contains an action request (see paragraph
5).

2. (S//NF) The Government of Iraq (GOI) officially supports a
plan to adopt a host-country led MANPADS reduction program
(subsequently "MANPADS program", reftel). National Security
Council Director General Khamza Sharif Hasan told Pol-Miloff
February 2 that the Prime Minister agreed to support the
proposed MANPADS program, although the PM's office would need
to review the details in a proposed Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU). Sharif assured again that the U.S.
involvement would remain secret, and also signaled that the
PM's office would embed the MANPADS program in a broader GOI
effort to capture dangerous ordnance and weapons that could
be exploited by terrorists. With the PM's support, the key
issues that remain to be resolved are operational and
technical.

Achieving GOI's Support
-----------------------

3. (S//NF) This breakthrough in GOI's consent follows two
months of Post's direct lobbying and months of prior planning
and engagement. Pol-Mil MinCouns conferred with PM/WRA and
selected NSA Director Safa Al Sheik as the best interlocutor
and then began raising the issue of a MANPADS abatement
program December 14. Pol-Mil MinCouns subsequently engaged
Office of Commander in Chief (OCINC) Director Gen. Farouk
Al-Araji and delivered the non-paper (reftel) to Al Sheik
detailing a host country-led MANPADS reduction program on
January 6. Pol-Miloff further discussed the parameters and
possibilities of the proposed program with Al Sheik's deputy,
Sharif, throughout January. Sharif presented options to the
Prime Minister's office and received word that the GOI would
support the MANPADS program January 31. COMMENT: As it now
stands, the PM and NSA Office support the program that in
practice must include the MOI, MOD, and the Provincial
Councils, which have not been intimately involved yet; and
the March 7 national elections will surely distract the major
players and the national security infrastructure. END COMMENT.

Technical Considerations
------------------------

4. (S//NF) Sharif provided a number of key assurances to our
stipulations: He agreed to keep the U.S. support for the
MANPADS buyback secret and parenthetically emphasized that
this requirement would enhance the program's effectiveness.
Sharif did not have an answer for what the central GOI
managing office would be. He suggested using the term "GOI
representative" in the draft MOU until the question was
settled. Sharif predicted that the central GOI entity would
be either a committee headed by the NSA, or the PM's office,
led by OCINC or MOD. Sharif said that the GOI would not
permit providing money to groups or members of groups on the
list of U.S.-designated terrorist organizations, again
reiterating that this requirement was also in Iraq's
interest. Operationally, the program will decentralize
significant operations to the level of Provincial Councils
and Provincial Security Councils for greater effectiveness.
Finally, Sharif clarified that the GOI would provide amnesty
only for the transit and disclosure of MANPADS, not for
crimes previously or subsequently committed.

Next Steps
----------

5. (S//NF) Given the above considerations, Post requests that
PM/WRA facilitates the drafting of a MOU as soon as possible.
Preferably we would have a MOU draft to review internally by
Q Preferably we would have a MOU draft to review internally by
February 17 so that we can begin the process of reviewing
drafts with Sharif on February 21. Post is aware that other
obligations are competing for the legal team's time and will
adjust as needed.

HILL