JORDAN: IRAQI CONSTITUTION COMPROMISE DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 008169 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015 TAGS: PREL IZ JO SUBJECT: JORDAN: IRAQI CONSTITUTION COMPROMISE DEMARCHE DELIVERED REF: A. STATE 188987 ¶B. AMMAN 08093 Classified By: DCM Daniel Rubinstein for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Polcouns delivered ref A demarche October 13 to Dimi Haddad, chief of Foreign Minister Kasrawi's private office; the FM is currently abroad with King Abdullah. Haddad confirmed that the GOJ public line on the referendum paralleled ours, and said the GOJ would continue privately encouraging its Iraqi contacts to engage in the political process. Haddad, who was Jordanian Charge d'Affaires in Baghdad until last month, thought that it would be difficult for opponents of the constitution to achieve a two-thirds majority in three provinces because the Sunnis are not well organized, and many Sunni Arab opponents of the constitution - especially in Ninevah province - believe a boycott is the best way to achieve their goals. ¶2. (U) In an October 9 interview ref B with Al-Rai, the leading semi-official Arabic-language daily, King Abdullah spoke positively about Iraqi Constitution and the recent changes made to it, and called for Iraqis to participate in the political process and build their country. HALE