US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4920

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 004920 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/I-ECON FOR JOSH VOLZ 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2015 
TAGS: AINF, ECON, PGOV, IZ 
SUBJECT: MFA RESPONDS TO OIL-FOR-FOOD DEMARCHES 
 
REF: A) STATE 219153 B) STATE 213760 
 
Classified By: Economic Minister Counselor Tom Delare for reasons 1.4 ( 
b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary: In a December 8 meeting with Econoff, 
Ambassador Srood R. Najib of the MFA, agreed to USG requests 
for: 1) declassification of certain Oil-for-Food (OFF) 
documents for use by the Department of Justice (DOJ), and 2) 
Iraqi funding of the U.N. OFF Independent Inquiry Committee 
(IIC).  End summary. 
 
2.  (C) On December 8, Econoff met with Ambassador Srood R. 
Najib, head of the MFA's International Organization and 
Multilateral Cooperation Department to discuss two recent OFF 
requests submitted to the MFA by the Embassy via diplomatic 
note.  The first request was for permission to declassify two 
OFF documents for dissemination outside the USG, per the 
request of the DOJ and the U.S. Attorney's office for the 
Southern District of New York (SDNY) (ref A).  SDNY intends 
to use these documents in ongoing OFF investigations and 
prosecutions. 
 
3.  (C) Najib was quite knowledgeable of OFF issues having 
just returned from two months at Iraq's U.N. mission in New 
York.  He immediately gave his verbal permission for the 
documents to be declassified, provided any illicit funds or 
"kickbacks" uncovered in the course of the investigation be 
returned to the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI).  He said 
that he would send an official written reply to this effect 
in response to our diplomatic note. 
 
4.  (C) Najib was likewise well-briefed about our other OFF 
request that the GOI continue funding the U.N. IIC chaired by 
Paul Volcker for an additional three to six months beyond its 
December 31, 2005 expiration date (ref B).  Najib agreed that 
funding the continued operations of the IIC is necessary to 
ensure the continued use of the documentary evidence it has 
assembled.  The GOI will fund the extension, he said, or the 
funds will be taken from the DFI.  Najib said that these 
instructions would be sent to Iraq's U.N. mission by week's 
end and that their Deputy Permanent Representative would also 
inform Ambassador Bolton.  The GOI prefers a six-month 
extension. 
KHALILZAD