S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 002347

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: THE DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING MAY 19 MEETING WITH
IRAQ TNA SPEAKER HAJIM HASSANI

Classified By: classified by david m. satterfield, charge d'affaires, f

or reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) PARTICIPANTS:
U.S.
---
THE DEPUTY SECRETARY
CHARGE D'AFFAIRES JAMES JEFFREY
AMBASSADOR RICHARD JONES, COORDINATOR FOR IRAQ
AMBASSADOR DAVID SATTERFIELD, DCM
AMBASSADOR ROSS WILSON, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
MS. CHRISTINE DAVIES, SPECIAL ASSISTANT
MS. ROB WALLER, SPECIAL ASSISTANT
MR. ADMAN ERELI, SPOKESPERSON
MR. SCOTT CARPENTER, NEA DAS
MR. PETER GANSER, EMBASSY NOTETAKER
IRAQ
--------------
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER HAJIM AL HASSANI
MR. SABAH TALAT KADRAT, CHIEF OF PROTOCOL

2. (S) SUMMARY: The Deputy Secretary highlighted to TNA
Speaker Hassani on May 19 the importance of including Sunni
Arabs in the constitution development process. Hassani
responded that only by adding Sunni representatives to the
National Assembly's Constitution Drafting Committee would
Sunnis achieve equal representation. Hassani confirmed that
there was support for using the Transitional Administrative
Law (TAL) as the basis for the new constitution and opined
that the August 15 deadline would be achievable if the TAL
was used as the basis. The Deputy Secretary counseled
against any extension to the August 15 deadline, as it would
embolden the insurgency. The Deputy Secretary urged Hassani
to keep the Independent Electoral Commission well funded and
focused for the upcoming referendum. The Deputy Secretary
stressed the importance of an ITG public position against
sectarian violence. END SUMMARY.

--------------
AN INCLUSIVE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS
--------------


3. (S) The Deputy Secretary urged Speaker Hassani to ensure
the equal participation of Sunni Arabs in the constitution
development process. Sunni inclusion is a critical element
of creating a new political process in Iraq, said the Deputy
Secretary, and will help combat the insurgency. The Deputy

SIPDIS
Secretary also emphasized the importance of reaching out to

SIPDIS
and engaging the Iraqi people in the constitution-making
process as a key process step in any successful constitution

development process.


4. (S) Speaker Hassani said the TNA had created a 55-member
constitution drafting committee, only two of whom are Sunnis.
The lack of Sunni Arab representation on the committee would
be problematic stated Hassani, and needs to be rectified.
Discussions between the Kurds and List 169 members to resolve
the matter are proceeding with two concepts under
consideration. The first concept is a separate
constitutional commission with full and equal participation
by Sunni members. Any draft constitution from the commission
would require the approval of the full committee. The second
concept is a twenty-member consultancy body external to the
TNA with ten Sunni members. Under either scenario, Sunnis
will not receive "full and equal" standing, declared Hassani.
Only by expanding the committee to include 29 additional
Sunni members, or 79 members in total, would the Sunnis
achieve full and equal participation.

--------------
TAL AS BASIS FOR PERMANENT CONSTITUTION
--------------


5. (S) Deputy Secretary Zoellick spoke of the relevance and
importance of using the TAL as a basis for the new
constitution and asked how Hassani saw the August 15
deadline. Hassani opined that the August 15 timeline would
be doable only if the TAL served as the foundation for the
new permanent constitution. Two groups, the Kurds and
Allawi's party, endorse the use of the TAL, stated Hassani,
and even some List 169 members support the use of the TAL as
a constitutional foundation. If the TAL is not used as the
basis, said Hassani, it would be very difficult to complete
the draft constitution by August 15. He added that a
significant factor affecting the chances for timely
completion would be whether the Iraqi people engage on the
constitution's development.


6. (S) The Deputy Secretary cautioned Hassani that he should
be very circumspect in exercising the use of the extension.
The work will expand to fill the time of the extension,
emphasized the Deputy Secretary. Any slippage in the
timeline will embolden the insurgency and do harm to the
interests of the Iraqi government.
--------------
ELECTION FRAMEWORK AND PREPARATIONS
--------------


7. (S) Pointing to the significant role the Independent
Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) will have in supporting
the political process, the Deputy Secretary urged Hassani to
keep the IECI well-funded and focused on its work. Hassani
indicated that the TNA had just finished establishing its
rules and committees but will soon reach out to and work
closely with the IECI to assist them. Hassani also mentioned
that the TNA's legal committee would work with the IECI to
draft a new electoral law. He added that he would not
support an extension of the ITG and would press for elections
in December &with or without a constitution.8

--------------
LOCAL GOVERNANCE
--------------


8. (S) The Deputy Secretary encouraged Hassani to develop
political support for the Transitional Government by
empowering local officials. Hassani commented that local
officials in some areas were making progress, but in most
areas the large political parties dominate the agenda and do
not allow the emergence of new leadership.


9. (S) Addressing private sector capacity, the Deputy
Secretary urged Hassani to build the private sector through

SIPDIS
programs such as a micro-loan program, which could help
increase employment throughout Iraq. Hassani agreed with the
Deputy Secretary that the private sector should receive the
attention and support of the Iraqi Transitional Government
(ITG). Hassani said he would also encourage investors from
outside Iraq to help develop the private sector.

--------------
SECTARIAN VIOLENCE
--------------


10. (S) Addressing the recent upswing in sectarian violence
in Iraq, the Deputy Secretary spoke of the need for religious
and government leaders in Iraq and the Muslim world to make
strong public statements condemning sectarian violence and
those, like Zarqawi, who seek to foment it. The threat is
real that this violence could lead to more serious strife
within Iraq, he warned. The democratically elected
government of Iraq has considerable legitimacy and should use
that political capital to make a clear and forceful statement
condemning this violence. The Deputy Secretary noted that
action, combined with clear and forceful statements, could
set the proper tone at this critical juncture.


11. (S) Hassani agreed with the Deputy Secretary that
immediate action was needed to address sectarian violence.
Observing that the streets of Baghdad are &controlled by
militias,8 Hassani expressed alarm at rumors of police
involvement in recent assassinations. He opined that while
statements are needed, the ITG also needs to take practical
steps to head off this strife before it turns into a civil
war. There are some who are purposely committing these acts
for the sole purposes of keeping the Sunnis out of the
political process, claimed Hassani. The Deputy Secretary
assured Hassani the U.S. would do everything possible to help
identify the perpetrators of the violence and stop it.

--------------
Justice Sector
--------------


12. (S) The Deputy Secretary spoke of the importance of the
independent judiciary and rule of law in Iraq and solicited
the TNA's plans to bolster the justice sector. Hassani
agreed with the Deputy Secretary on the need for a strong and
independent judiciary and opined that some judges, however,
are still under the influence of the executive branch.
Pointing to the recent arrests of former Ministers in the
Interim Government, Hassani indicated that this is an attempt
by the current government to retaliate against the former
government of Prime Minister Allawi.

--------------
U.S. ) EU SUMMIT
--------------


13. (S) Addressing the upcoming E.U. ) U.S. Summit on Iraq,
the Deputy Secretary emphasized to Hassani the need to have a
clear and prioritized plan to present to the international
donor communnity. While the Summit is not explicitly a donor
conference, stated the Deputy Secretary, this is Iraq's
opportunity to reinforce and help its political process via
international support to key sectors within Iraq such as
electricity, water, and agriculture.
Jeffrey