IRAQ: TURKS REPORT MUSLIM ULEMA COUNCIL "BITTER"

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002439

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER KDEM IZ TU
SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKS REPORT MUSLIM ULEMA COUNCIL "BITTER"

REF: A. 04 ANKARA 7042

B. BAGHDAD 1637

Classified By: Acting Counselor for Political-Military Affairs Maggie N
ardi for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) On April 27, MFA Head of Department for Iraq Avni
Botsali provided PolMilOff with a brief readout of the visit
to Ankara by a delegation of the Iraqi Muslim Ulema Council.
The delegation, led by MUC Secretary General Dr. Harith
al-Dhari, met with FonMin Gul in Ankara on April 27; they
then continued on to Istanbul for a conference. Botsali
described the delegation's mood as "very bitter." According
to Botsali, al-Dhari expressed to Gul the Iraqi Sunni Arabs'
willingness to participate in the political process "if the
Americans let us." The delegation complained that CF are
showing no flexibility on releasing detainees, and that the
ISF are "even harsher" than CF.


2. (C) The MUC delegation complained that Sunnis are not
being allowed to participate in a genuine way, and further
that the Iraqi Shias were "cleaning up" (i.e., dismissing
non-Shias) in every government office they control. The
delegation further claimed that in the KRA and Kirkuk
province, Sunni Arabs are effectively barred by the Kurds
from purchasing land.


3. (C) Botsali reported that while FonMin Gul listened
sympathetically to the delegation's complaints, he strongly
urged the MUC and the Sunni Arab community writ large to
participate in the political process in Iraq. Not to
participate would only guarantee a lack of influence over the
process, Gul reportedly said.


4. (C) Botsali repeated the Turkish position that the GOT
wants to continue its outreach to Iraq's Sunni community and
wants our support to bolster its credibility with the Sunnis.
According to Botsali, if CF were willing to release only a
few Sunni detainees, particularly imams, Turkey could
leverage this to persuade the Sunnis that there is merit in
participation (see ref a).


5. (U) Iraq posts minimize considered.
EDELMAN