TOP KURDISH LEADER PLEDGES FLEXIBILITY ON KIRKUK

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003079

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM IZ KDP
SUBJECT: TOP KURDISH LEADER PLEDGES FLEXIBILITY ON KIRKUK
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

REF: KIRKUK 142

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission David M. Satterfield for reasons

1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) On July 21 Kurdish Regional President and KDP leader
Masood Barzani told DCM that he wanted to bring the
contentious question of appointments to the Kirkuk provincial
government to a close. He said the KDP would accept four
Arabs and Turkmen for the four positions in dispute: deputy
governor, Kirkuk mayor, and heads of the appointments and
reconstruction councils. Barzani had one condition. The
four persons chosen must accept the TAL; in particular, the
implementation of Article 58 about Kirkuk.


2. (C) In his July 23 meeting with the Ambassador,
President Talabani, who is also the leader of the Kurdish PUK
party, confirmed that the Kurds would be flexible on these
appointments as long as those chosen by the Turkmen and Arabs
respected the TAL. Talabani mentioned only in passing that
at least three of the four positions could go to Arabs and
Turkmen. Talabani emphasized again that the province's
long-term future should not be decided until several years.
He hinted that not all Kurds (i.e., the KDP) agree with him.


3. (C) It is important that the Arabs and Turkmen end their
boycott of the Provincial Council, and that the province's
government be stabilized. Embassy and REO Kirkuk will
continue to prod the Arab and Turkmen political leaders in
Kirkuk to find reputable candidates for the positions in
dispute. We will drive home the point to the KDP and PUK
that the deal is for all four positions. It will be easier
to negotiate individual Arabs and Turkmen for these positions
now that Barzani has accepted in principle to cede the
positions to them. There may still be a problem with local
Kurds taking a tougher line than Barzani, as indicated in
reftel. We will make it clear to the Kurds that the
immediate resolution of the Kirkuk government problem is an
issue distinct from that of the province's long-term future.


4. (C) FOR REO KIRKUK: Post is requested to engage with
key KDP, PUK, Turkmen and Arab Provincial Council figures to
press on closing the "deal" ostensibly accepted by Barzani
and Talabani.


5. (U) REO HILLAH, REO KIRKUK, REO MOSUL, REO BASRAH
minimize considered.
Khalilzad