Cablegate: Australia Awaiting Sofa Developments

P 180628Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0716
INFO AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY TALLINN PRIORITY
USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 001292

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RPM AND NEA/I

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2018
TAGS: AS EN ES IZ MARR MOPS PGOV PREL UK RO NATO
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA AWAITING SOFA DEVELOPMENTS

REF: STATE 132140

Classified By: Acting Political Counselor W. Davies Sohier for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

1. (C) Poloff delivered information from reftel to the
director of the Iraq section at the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade, Lloyd Broderick, on December 18.
Broderick said Australia is awaiting developments. One issue
that is repeatedly raised by the Australian negotiating team
in Baghdad is the need for a definitive letter of invitation
from the GOI. Australia has only a preliminary letter dated
November 13, 2008. According to Broderick, the negotiating
team has asked Dr. Fadel, an adviser to PM Maliki, for a
formal letter.

MCCALLUM

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