SUNNI ARABS OFFICIALY WELCOMED INTO TNA

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002830

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2025
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: SUNNI ARABS OFFICIALY WELCOMED INTO TNA
CONSTITUTION DRAFTING AS DOUBTS PERSIST


Classified By: Charge d' Affaires David M. Satterfield for Reasons 1.4
(b) and (d)


1. (U) Deputy Speaker Husayn Shahristani announced the
expansion of the constitution drafting committee at the July
4 session of the Transitional National Assembly (TNA). The
announcement amounted to an induction for the 15 Sunni Arabs
and one Sabean nominated from outside the Assembly to join
the constitution drafting process as core members. Thirteen
other Sunni Arabs nominated as expert advisors are also now
free to begin their work. Deputy Constitution Committee
Chairman Adnan al-Janabi confirmed the announcement in a
press conference he held during a break in the TNA session.


2. (U) The TNA Constitution Drafting Committee and additional
representatives will work together as equal members in the
"Supreme Commission for the Drafting of the Constitution,"
according to the announcement. The additional Sunni Arabs and
one Sabean, Subhi Mubarak Mal Allah, are set to meet the
original members of the constitution committee on July 5 to
get to know one other and receive a report on the work
completed to date. The new members will be given the
opportunity to re-open items for discussion and distribute
themselves among the committee's six committees.
Constitution Committee Chairman Humam Hamudi told reporters
July 5 that he did not want this new step to prevent the
committee from meeting its August 15 deadline. "We hope that
the new participation of those who did not participate in the
elections will not obstruct the work of the committee or slow
it," he said, "so we have arranged a set of intensive
meetings to continue the work."

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Comment
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3. (C) Yesterday's announcement is a big step forward for
Sunni outreach and comes after heavy engagement from the U.S.
and British governments. We have seen media reports that two
of the 15 new Sunni Arab full committee members, and one of
the thirteen Sunni Arab consultants, have withdrawn. Our
contacts among the Sunni Arabs tell us that they are trying
to ensure all members named on the list stay on the committee.


4. (C) The reservations that held up the inclusion of the
28 Sunnis, however, have by no means vanished. We will have
to watch all parties to the process closely to make sure the
announcement today is implemented fairly. The
de-Ba'athification investigation that delayed the induction
has not ended. The Shia and Kurds could well place it like a
gun on the table to scare obstructionist Sunni Arab
representatives into line. Hamudi has also said that the
committee will continue holding open weekly meetings with
Sunni Arab leaders and others who are not on the committee
but wish to hear updates on its work and contribute their
views. The attendees at those meetings will clearly form a
pool of alternate members that the committee can pull in
should some of the new representatives withdraw in protest.
Deputy Constitution Committee Chairman Fuad Ma'asum, deeply
suspicious that the new inductees have entered only to
withdraw, told Poloff that he was moving forward with plans
to crown the constitution drafting process with a
"Constitutional Conference" that draws in notables from
across Iraqi society to approve the final document with a
show of unanimity.


5. (U) REO HILLA, REO BASRA, REO MOSUL, and REO KIRKUK,
minimize considered.
Satterfield