Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BAGHDAD2863
2005-07-07 18:30:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

KIRKUK: US, UK ENGAGE KIRKUK ETHNIC GROUPS TO

Tags:  PGOV KDEM IZ 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 002863 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

TAGS: PGOV KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: KIRKUK: US, UK ENGAGE KIRKUK ETHNIC GROUPS TO
ACHIEVE CONSENSUS GOVERNMENT

Ref: Baghdad 2746

Baghdad 2860

This is a REO Kirkuk cable.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 002863

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

TAGS: PGOV KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: KIRKUK: US, UK ENGAGE KIRKUK ETHNIC GROUPS TO
ACHIEVE CONSENSUS GOVERNMENT

Ref: Baghdad 2746

Baghdad 2860

This is a REO Kirkuk cable.


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. U.S. Kirkuk Regional Embassy
Office Coordinator (RC) and UK Acting Consul General
called on Arab, Turkmen, and Kurdish blocs of the
Kirkuk Provincial Council July 3 and 4 to urge them to
form a consensus government. The Turkmen and Arab
blocs say they will remain engaged in the political
process if they obtain four key government posts --
deputy governor, mayor, appointments committee
chairman, and reconstruction committee chairman, and
have a say in balancing appointments to the director
generalships. While emotions ran high, all agreed to
meet again July 7. Separately, the Kirkuk Provincial
Council met July 4; they and delayed elections on a
deputy governor until July 18 and sharply criticized
Iraq's Prime Minister for recent statements on Kirkuk.
END SUMMARY.

Kurdish, Turkmen, and Arab Blocs
Meet for First Time in Months
--------------


2. (SBU) Kirkuk REO -- together with UK Acting Consul
General and U.S. 116BCT team government commander --
initiated the first face-to-face meeting of Turkmen,
Arab and Kurdish political leaders since January
elections to discuss provincial government on July 3.
A second session was held July 4. Attendees are
listed in para 14. RC told the group that the U.S.
seeks consensus in appointments for both cabinet and
the constitutional committee. Excluding core
constituencies in this fragile phase of democracy
could dampen faith in the process and embolden
insurgents. We expected this effort would pay off
soon agreement to include 15 new Sunnis in the
constitutional committee in Baghdad.


3. (SBU) RC said the U.S. had similar hopes for
Kirkuk, also a sensitive issue that needed broad
consensus to preserve its unique ethnic identity. RC
stressed that this same message had been delivered by
Embassy Baghdad to senior Kurdish leaders (ref A).
She told the group that if it could arrive at
agreements, the U.S. would do what it could to back
them up at all levels and with all players who had
shown an interest in the future of this province.

Myriad Complaints Lobbed, No One Injured
--------------


4. (SBU) All participants thanked the U.S. for
bringing them together and agreed that consensus is
required to move ahead in Kirkuk. Mohammad Kamal
(KDP) complained that 28 meetings had failed to

produce results from Turkmen and Arabs. Anwar
Biraqdar (Turkmen Justice Party) said consensus would
not be possible with only one leadership post (deputy
governor) being offered to the combined list of
Turkmen and Arab blocs.


5. (SBU) Zhala Younis (Iraqi Turkmen Front) argued
that the Kurds had reached agreement last week with
the Turkmen but the Kurds had told them they might
veto individual nominees. Several participants
complained that the KBL was "vetting" candidates to
see if they supported Kirkuk's inclusion into
Kurdistan. Rizgar Ali Hamjan (PUK) told the group
that the KBL had not levied this condition, and said
press accounts to the contrary (ref B) were false.


6. (SBU) Ahmed Mohamed Al-Zubaydi (Iraqi National
Gathering) questioned the Kurds' interest in
consensus, as they now encumbered all key government
posts in the province, leaving only five unimportant
directorates to the Arabs. (Comment: Zubaydi
overlooked the Northern Oil Company directorship,
which does provide significant employment for Arabs,
even if oil revenues do not accrue to provincial
coffers.)

Arabs Claim Talabani Reneged on 2004 Agreement
to Rotate Governor Job Among Ethnic Groups
--------------


7. (SBU) Ahmed Hameed Al-Ubaydi (Iraqi Republican
Gathering, Sunni Arab) and Hussein al-Jabouri (Arab
Consultative Council) said Kirkuk should rotate the
governorship among its three main communities. He
said the principle was accepted by PUK leader Jalal
Talabani in an agreement signed February 2004. (Note:
On July 5, Shwan Qliasani, a former senior official of
the PUK, told RC that there was such an agreement; we
will try to get a copy.)

Turkmen and Arab Bloc Want Four Key Posts
--------------


8. (SBU) The Turkmen and Arabs relayed that they
would return to government if given four slots to
divide between them: deputy governor; Kirkuk mayor;
reconstruction committee chairman; and appointments
committee chair. Ubaydi pointed out that the
provincial council had no right to elect the city
mayor (ref B) and said this should provide cover for
his removal. The Turkmen also requested that Kirkuk
directorates be distributed fairly among blocs.

Council Chairman Condemns Ja'aferi on Article 58
-------------- ---


9. (SBU) The Provincial Council also met July 4.
Kirkuk Brotherhood List (KBL) members voted to delay
elections for the deputy governor until July 18.
Council Chairman Hamajan alleged that PM Ja'afari had
said that the Transitional National Assembly (TNA)
will not "approve" Article 58. He asserted this
proved the PM had succumbed to the wishes of foreign
powers, and warned against intervention by Turkey and
Iran in Iraq's internal affairs. Kamal (KDP) added
that any Iraqi leader who does not abide by the TAL
should be removed from office. The Council also
discussed committees but deferred substantive action.
(Note. In an interview with the al Sharq al Awsat
newpaper on June 28, Prime Minister Jaffari actually
said that the TAL had solved the Kirkuk issue, but
that "we should give sufficient time and delay action
until the question of its mixed population is
resolved". He listed Kirkuk's various ethnic,
sectarian and religious groups and noted "even Turkey
is worried about the Turkman there, and this means the
issue has taken on a regional significance."
Ja'fari's comments are in line with Article 58(C) of
the TAL which provides that the "permanent resolution
of disputed territories, including Kirkuk, shall be
deferred until after these measures [i.e. IPCC claims
adjudications and recommendations on administrative
boundaries] are completed, a fair and transparent
census has been conducted and the permanent
constitution has been ratified." Nonetheless, the
reaction on the ground has been overwhelmingly
negative. End Note.)

Difficult Dynamics
--------------


10. (SBU) This was the first serious meeting among
the three bloc leaders; dynamics were difficult.
Hamajan (PUK) said he had only one hour for the
meeting, declined to dine with the others, then
interrupted their meal and tried to leave mid-stream
to attend "more important" events. Kamal insisted on
speaking Kurdish; RC succeeded in keeping with Arabic,
the only common language, to save time for Hamajan.
The Turkman Younis blamed all failed negotiations on
Kamal personally. The Governor (who as the only Kurd
in the July 3 meeting was quite conciliatory),turned
to stone in the presence of PUK and KDP
representatives on July 4.


11. (SBU) When the Kurds refused to meet July 5, and
Jabouri snorted that the situation did not bear
further delay. Both Kurds and Turkmen objected to the
Kurds' suggestion that further negotiations be limited
to exchange of written proposals. All parties urged
the U.S. to attend future meetings, to keep order.
Finally, they agreed to meet again July 7.


12. (SBU) Comment: We will try to keep dialog going,
but the window for progress will close soon without
further engagement with KDP and PUK presidents.


13. (U) Participants in July 3 and 4 Meetings:

Kurdish Leaders (and Kirkuk Brotherhood List members)
--------------
Governor Abdulrahman Mustafa (independent)
Council Chairman Rizgar Ali (PUK)(July 4 only)
Council Member Mohammad Kamal (KDP)(July 4 only)
Turkmen leaders
--------------
Younis Biraqdar (Turkmen Council Chairman)
Anwar Biraqdar (Turkmen Justice Party General
Secretary) Council Member Zhala Younis (Iraqi Turkmen

SIPDIS
Front (ITF))

Arab leaders
--------------
Ahmed Hameed al-Ubaydi (Iraqi Republican Gathering,
Kirkuk Office Head)
Ahmed Mohamed al-Zubaydi (Iraqi National Gathering
Kirkuk Office Head)
Hussein al-Jaburi (Arab Consultative Council Head)