SUNNI ARAB OFFICIALS ON HOW TO HELP THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003566

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2015
TAGS: PGOV QA IZ
SUBJECT: SUNNI ARAB OFFICIALS ON HOW TO HELP THE
CONSTITUTION

REF: BAGHDAD 3498

Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD FOR REASONS 1.
4 (b) AND (d)


1. (C) Summary: Fatwa Association (Salafist) Dr. Mahmud al
Mashadani told the Ambassador August 30 that changes to the
draft constitution in four areas -- Arab identity, Iraqi
unity, placement of statement on Islam and human rights, and
clarification of ownership of future oil and natural gas
discoveries -- may be sufficient to win moderate Sunni
support for the Constitution. Ambassador cautioned that
making new changes would be difficult. He encouraged
Mashadani, however, to put into writing within 48 hours the
readiness of the Negotiating Group of 15, the Iraqi Islamic
Party, and Sunni Waqf previous leader Adnan al-Dulaimi and
current leader Ahmed Abdelghafur Samarai'e, to support the
Constitution if these changes were made. Convincing persons
like Dulaimi to support the constitution could be tough: in
his August 30 meeting with the Ambassador (septel) he was
angry about alleged extra-judicial killings by Iraqi police,
and he blasted the draft constitution. End summary.


2. (U) On August 30 Ambassador met with former Sunni Waqf
Head Adnan al-Dulaimi; Dr. Mahmud al Mashadani, a member of
the Salafists from the Fatwa Association; and a member of the
Group of 15. Mashadani was accompanied by Saad al Janabi,
Secretary General of the Iraqi Republican Group and an expert

SIPDIS
to the Group of 15.

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ANGER AT RECENT KILLINGS
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3. (C) Mashadani expressed deep concern over the recent
discovery of the bodies of 36 Sunnis in Wasit Province, who
according to Mashadani were thought to have been detained by
Iraqi Police (IP) (septel). Mashadani stated that some of
the 36 were his relatives, and that these incidents always
occur after curfew, suggesting CF acquiescence to this
activity. The Ambassador said he would press MOI to address
the allegations of abuse and extra-judicial killings by the
IP. Mashadani agreed that having the Iraqi Army in charge of
security would be preferable to the IP.

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THE CONSTITUTION - What Went Wrong?
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4. (C) Mashadani said that after their August 27 meeting
with the Ambassador and the UK Ambassador Patey (reftel),he
and other Sunni leaders from the National Dialogue felt
comfortable with the constitutional draft process. They then
received a call from President Talabani's assistant and were
invited to a celebration. They asked to see the final draft
of the Constitution, which the TNA members had not even seen.
When they finally did receive a copy, these Sunni leaders
realized that their proposals were not there. They went to
Speaker Hasani to express their concerns and were told that
their rejection of the draft would lead to divisions.
Concerned about armed groups in the country, the Group of 15
finally agreed to the draft with strong reservations on five
points.


5. (C) The Ambassador expressed disappointment that despite
extensive U.S. efforts to effect changes to the Constitution
to accommodate the Sunni Arab negotiators, Sunni Arab support
for the document is still lacking. Mashadani distilled Sunni
Arab concerns to four points: a) Iraq's Arab identity --
references to the Arab League are insufficient; b) Iraqi
unity - the constitution must emphasize that Iraq cannot be
divided; c) Article 2, in Chapter 1 of the Constitution
(which states that no law can contradict Islam, principles of
democracy, or rights and basic freedoms) should be moved to
Chapter 2 (the section on rights and freedoms) to prevent
Muslim extremists from saying that Iraq has "two religions" -
Islam and democracy; and d) provisions about the ownership
of future discoveries of oil or natural gas must be better
explained.

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THE WAY FORWARD
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6. (C) Mashadani stated that if these four elements could be
addressed, many Sunni Arabs would come forward, including the
Iraqi Islamic Party, Sunni Waqf leader Abdelghafur Samarai'e
and Sunni People's Conference leader Adnan Dulaimi. The
Ambassador proposed that Mashadani put these points in a
letter signed by the Group of 15, al-Dulaimi, and the
National Dialogue Council, with the commitment to support the
Constitution if these changes are made. If they agreed to
support the text with such changes, the Ambassador pledged he
would consider what could be done. He urged Mashadani to act
quickly, within 48 hours. Mashadani recommended that the
supporters of the constitution gather into one group that
would speak publicly together. He proposed that President
Talibani could host an event, followed by a visit to
Kurdistan to visit Barzani to talk about the needed changes
to the text.


7. (SBU) Mashadani also stressed the need for a campaign to
bring mainstream Sunni nationalists (vice Baathists) on board
with the new constitution. He proposed that Iraqi leaders
tour major Arab countries like Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi
Arabia to explain the draft constitution. Mashadani also
asked for U.S. pressure on the Emir of Qatar to stop
financing Shaykh Harith Al-Dhari's Muslim Ulema Council.
(Comment: We defer to our colleagues in Doha about the
possible relationship between the Qataris and the hard-line
Ulema Council here. End Comment.)
Khalilzad