ANKARA PUK AND KDP REPS DISCUSS IRAQ ELECTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001004

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL TU IZ
SUBJECT: ANKARA PUK AND KDP REPS DISCUSS IRAQ ELECTION
RESULTS WITH LOCAL DIPLOMATS


Classified By: Political Military Counselor Timothy A. Betts. Reasons 1
.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) On Feb. 23 PolMilOffs attended a briefing for local
diplomats by Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Ankara
representative Bahros Galali and Kurdistan Democratic Party
(KDP) representative Omer Merani on the results of the Iraq
elections and latest developments in Iraq. European and
Chinese diplomats also attended.


2. (C) Galali provided statistical data on the national and
northern governorate election results. He emphasized that
the Kurds think of themselves as Iraqis and that they seek a
strong, democratic, secular government in Iraq. Galali added
that the Kurds have a good relationship with all Iraqi
parties that participated in the election. He said that
Sunni Arabs did not participate adequately but they need to
be involved in the Iraqi government and in drafting the
constitution. He said that both GOT and Turkmen officials
have realized that the Turkmen would have done better in the
elections had they joined with the main Kurdish coalition
instead of running separately. The Kurds stand ready to work
with the Turkmen, Galali emphasized.


3. (C) On Talabani and Barzani's vision of federalism,
Galali stated that Iraq's natural resources should be shared
among all the regions. The Kurds will seek a greater share
of the state budget, however (he said the current level was
17%). While it is correct to call Kirkuk an Iraqi city
rather than a Kurdish city, Galali added, it rightly belongs
in the KRG-administered region.


4. (C) In a side conversation with PolMilOff, Galali
explained that he had specifically called together European
diplomats in order to seek EU support for the future of Iraq.


5. (U) Iraq posts minimize considered.
EDELMAN