IRAQI ISLAMIC PARTY LEADER WEIGHS SUPPORT FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003643

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI ISLAMIC PARTY LEADER WEIGHS SUPPORT FOR
CONSTITUTION


Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reason 1.4 (d)


1. (C) In an effort to expand the base of Sunni support for
the new constitution, the Ambassador and Embassy staff have
engaged those Sunni politicians who -- to varying degrees --
have indicated a readiness to publicly support the current
draft in exchange for certain adjustments. Iraqi
participants in these discussions have included Secretary
General of the Iraqi Islamic Party Tariq al-Hashimi,
Secretary General and Spokesman of the Ahl-Alsonna General

SIPDIS
Conference Adnan al-Dulaimi, and National Dialogue Council
members Mahmoud al-Mashadani and Shayk Abdul Nasser
al-Janabi. Of these, al-Hashimi's position has been the most
forward-leaning.


2. (C) At a September 4 meeting, the Ambassador asked Hashimi
to identify reasonable changes to the constitution that would
enable Hashimi to ask his party to support the new draft.
(See para 3 for list). Hashimi stressed that he would need
to first sell these changes within his party before making
any further commitment. The Ambassador urged him to reach a
decision quickly since the window of opportunity for
engagement in the constitutional process is closing, and any
adjustments would need Shia and Kurdish agreement. Further,
he said that if Hashimi would sign a letter identifying
achievable changes that the USG could support, the Ambassador
would encourage the Shia and Kurds to favorably consider
Hashimi's position.


3. (SBU) List of proposed adjustment is as follows.

Article 3 would read: "Iraq is a country of many
nationalities, religions and sects, and is part of the Arab
and Islamic worlds."

Article 4, section "third" would be changed to read: "The
official departments and institutions of the federal and
regional governments shall use both languages."

Article 108 would be changed to read: "Natural resources,
including oil and gas, are owned by all the people of Iraq in
all the regions and governorates."

Article 109, section "second" would be given a final sentence
stating, "Those strategic policies will be subject to
approval by the Council of Representatives."

Article 114 would be amended to read "conditions and
procedures" vice "executive procedures."

Article 117, section "fifth" would be given a final sentence
stating, "The internal security forces for the region will be
regulated by law."

Article 122, section "second" would state either (1) that the
constitution may be amended after one electoral term, rather
than after two successive electoral terms, or (2) that it can
be amended without a general referendum.

Khalilzad