US embassy cable - 04BAGHDAD4

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000004 
 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL: 06/29/14 
TAGS:  PREL, PGOV, IZ 
SUBJECT:  USEB 003:  LETTER ON AGREMENT FROM MINISTER OF 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO SECRETARY POWELL 
 
CLASSIFIED BY DCM JAMES JEFFREY FOR REASONS 1.4 (D). 
 
1. (U) THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF A LETTER RECEIVED ON 
JUNE 29 BY EMBASSY BAGHDAD FOR SECRETARY POWELL FROM IRAQI 
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS HOSHYAR ZEBARI GRANTING 
AGREMENT FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE.  THE LETTER ALSO 
APPROVED OUR FOUR EMBASSY OFFICES. 

BEGIN TEXT: 
 
THE HONORABLE COLIN POWELL 
SECRETARY OF STATE 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE 
WASHINGTON DC 
 
BAGHDAD 29TH JUNE 2004 
 
DEAR MR. SECRETARY. 
 
IT IS A GREAT HONOR TO RECEIVE YOUR LETTER OF 27TH JUNE, 
2004 CONGRATULATING ME ON IRAQQS RESUMPTION OF SOVEREIGN 
AUTHORITY AND PROPOSING ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC 
RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR FRIENDLY NATIONS. 
 
WHILE I APPRECIATE YOUR KIND SENTIMENT, I ALSO WISH TO 
CONFIRM TO YOUR EXCELLENCY THAT MY PRIME MINISTER, MR. AYAD 
ALLAWI, HAS AGREED IN HIS LETTER TO PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH 
ON THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, EFFECTIVE 
IMMEDIATELY UPON RESUMPTION OF SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY BY IRAQI 
INTERIM GOVERNMENT. 
 
HE ALSO AGREED ON THE OPENING OF THE U.S. EMBASSY IN 
BAGHDAD AS WELL AS OFFICES IN BASRA, KIRKUK, HILLA, AND 
MOSUL, AS WELL AS THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. NEGROPONTE AS 
AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY TO IRAQ. 
 
IT IS ALSO THE INTENTION OF MY GOVERNMENT TO REOPEN THE 
EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ IN WASHINGTON, AND IRAQI 
CONSULATES IN SOME U.S. CITIES IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS.  IT IS THE 
UNDERSTANDING OF MY GOVERNMENT THAT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN 
GRANTED ON THE AFOREMENTIONED BY MEANS OF THE EXCHANGE OF 
THE LETTERS OF EXCHANGE BETWEEN OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS. 
 
I LOOK FORWARD TO DEVELOPING FRIENDLY AND CONSTRUCTIVE 
RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO NATIONS. 
 
PLEASE ACCEPT, YOUR EXCELLENCY, MY SINCERE WISHES AND KIND 
REGARDS. 
 
SINCERELY, 
 
HOSHYAR ZEBARI 
 
END TEXT. 
 
2. (C) COMMENT.  THE AMBASSADOR WILL SEE THE FOREIGN 
MINISTER WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND WILL RAISE THE 
MINISTER'S MENTION OF IRAQI CONSULATES TO ENSURE THE MFA 
UNDERSTANDS THE APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES.  END COMMENT. 
 
 
NEGROPONTE