Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BAGHDAD4146
2005-10-08 13:36:00
SECRET
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

IRAQI MCNS DISCUSSES REFERENDUM SECURITY, OTHER

Tags:  PGOV MOPS ECON PREL 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.
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 004146 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2015
TAGS: PGOV MOPS ECON PREL IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI MCNS DISCUSSES REFERENDUM SECURITY, OTHER
ISSUES

REF: A. BAGHDAD 4110

B. BAGHDAD 4109

C. AMMAN 7997

D. RIYADH 7047

E. ABU DHABI 4200

Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (a),(b),(d
).

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 004146

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2015
TAGS: PGOV MOPS ECON PREL IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI MCNS DISCUSSES REFERENDUM SECURITY, OTHER
ISSUES

REF: A. BAGHDAD 4110

B. BAGHDAD 4109

C. AMMAN 7997

D. RIYADH 7047

E. ABU DHABI 4200

Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (a),(b),(d
).


1. (S//REL GBR AUS) SUMMARY: The Iraqi Ministerial
Committee on National Security (MCNS) met on October 4, 2005
to discuss the conditions for the transfer of security
responsibilities, to review security plans for the October 15
referendum, and to discuss other issues. The Committee's
discussion regarding the transfer of security
responsibilities is the subject of septel. On referendum
security, the Ministry of Interior's (MOI) referendum
security plan was presented and discussed. In addition,
Ambassador Khalilzad provided a readout of his trip to Saudi
Arabia, Jordan, and the UAE. Coalition concerns about the
lack of Iraqi action on Tal Afar reconstruction and
reconciliation plans were flagged yet again, as were
coalition concerns about recent confrontations at Baghdad
International Airport (BIAP) between Ministry of
Transportation security forces and Global Security
contractors. The Prime Minister also mentioned his desire to
reopen a bridge in Musayyia closed to civilian traffic.
Lastly, the Prime Minister noted that security in Latifiya is
becoming a concern and asked if MNF-I can examine the
situation and take action.


2. (S//REL GBR AUS) The MCNS met at the home of Prime
Minister Jaafari the night of October 4, 2005. Present were
the Prime Minister, Minister of Defense Saadoun al-Dulime,
Minister of Interior Bayan Jabr, National Security Advisor
Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Presidential Spokesman Laith Kubba,
Ambassador Khalilzad, MNF-I Commanding General Casey, British
Charge d'Affaires Tim Torlot, and MNF-I
Deputy Commanding General Brims. A translator and note-takers
also were in attendance. Minister of State for National
Security Affairs Karem al-Anzi was absent.

--------------
REFERENDUM SECURITY
--------------


3. (S//REL GBR AUS) MOI General Ayden Khidir briefed the
Committee on security plans for the October 15 referendum.

He stressed that all the involved ministries had participated
in formulating the plan, which defines the roles of all
parties and provides security for ballots and polling places
throughout the process. The security plan for polling sites
consists of three rings.

-- The inner ring will be manned by Iraqi police who will be
positioned at each polling site.

-- The second ring will consist of Iraqi Army forces, who
will be positioned further out and will control access to the
polling sites. Their exact positioning will depend on local
conditions.

-- The third and outer most ring will consist of MNF quick
reaction forces who will be out of sight but close enough to
respond if needed.

All forces involved will take up their positions on October
13 and will remain until the polling sites are closed and the
ballot boxes removed. All of the MOI's departments and
forces will be mobilized for this effort. The plan has been
coordinated with the Ministries of Transport, Commerce,
Trade, and Health; and its execution will involve elements of
these ministries.


4. (S//REL GBR AUS) The most important part of the plan,
according to General Ayden, is the set of emergency measures
that will be enacted. They are the following:

-- HOLIDAY: A national holiday will be declared from
Thursday, October 13 through Sunday, October 16 -- this will
help control and minimize the movement of people.

-- CURFEW: A national curfew will be imposed from October 13
until October 17 prohibiting movement between the hours of
2200 and 0700.

-- POLLING HOURS: The polls will be open on October 15 at
0700 and will close at 1700.

-- WEAPONS BAN: No weapons will be permitted except those of
authorized security personnel between October 13 and October

16.

-- BORDERS CLOSED: All national borders and airports will be
closed from the morning of October 14 until 0800 on October

16.

-- PROVINCES CLOSED: All provincial borders will be sealed
between 1800 on October 14 until 0600 on October 16 for
security and political reasons (i.e., to prevent the
transport of car bombs and groups from disrupting the vote or
intimidating voters or election workers).

-- TRAFFIC BAN: All vehicular traffic will be prohibited on
October 15, except for vehicles bearing specially prepared
placards issued by the MOI.

Some of these procedures will not be made public until the
very last moment in order to prevent tipping off the
insurgents as to the government's plans. It was agreed that
some of the measures should be announced earlier than others
to allow the public time to plan how to get to their polling
sites on referendum day.


5. (S//REL GBR AUS) Other issues include:

-- PRESS COVERAGE: Regularly accredited journalists will be
allowed to visit any polling site. Those who wish to carry
cameras or other equipment will be allowed to visit 50
designated polling sites but will have to possess a specially
issued pass distributed by the MOI. Six polling sites will
be set up with live satellite feeds to permit day-long
coverage (two sites in each Baghdad, Kirkuk, and Basrah).

-- ANBAR PROVINCE: There is a question of whether tribesmen
in Anbar will be allowed to provide security at polling
places. It seems the best solution is to post only a small
number at each site and then only under the direct
supervision of Iraqi security forces. The tribes would then
get to play a role but be under control (and thus less likely
to cause problems). Minister of Defense Dulime, who has
strong ties to Anbar Province, said he recently had met with
tribal leaders who had told him the tribes will vote in large
numbers, even in areas where military operations are in
progress.

-- KIRKUK: In Kirkuk the number of registered voters doesn't
add up. In some areas there are many more registered voters
that residents. In other areas, the problem is the opposite:
only a very few number of registered voters in a substantial
population. (Reftel A.) During the last election, large
population movements created a problem in this area, and this
could become a problem again.

-- ISF and DETAINEE VOTING: Another issue is whether Iraqi
Security Forces (ISF) members and detainees will be allowed
to vote. In the case of ISF, soldiers manning polling sites
will be allowed to vote, and their ballots will be counted
with those of their home province. ISF in barracks cannot
vote because it is illegal for polling sites to be located on
military bases. Plans are being made to permit detainees to
vote. MNF can facilitate voting by detainees in their
custody, but if they vote, so too must detainees in MOI, MOD,
and Ministry of Justice custody. MNF will follow
whatever instructions the Iraqis give concerning whether MNF
detainees will be permitted to vote.

-- FUNDING: So far, all preparation has been done without a
budget. The Prime Minister said that foreign donors need to
be pressed to fulfill their obligations.


6. (S//REL GBR AUS) The Ambassador raised concerns about
the potential intimidation of Shia and Kurdish voters by
Sunni extremists who will try to minimize the number of "yes"
votes cast, particularly in Diyala and Salah ad Din
provinces. This was the reason cited by Shia leaders for the
TNA,s attempt to alter the rules on how referendum votes
will be counted. (Reftel B.) Minister of Interior Jabr said
that these concerns are real and that plans should be made to
deploy additional security forces to sensitive areas in order
to deter and prevent voter intimidation acts.

--------------
AMBASSADOR'S REGIONAL TRIP
--------------


7. (S//REL GBR AUS) The Ambassador provided a readout of
his recent trip to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the UAE.
(Reftels C, D, E.) He said the trip was successful in that
he had been well received in all the capitals he visited. He
urged each of the governments to engage Iraq on a bilateral
basis at all levels, encouraged them to take steps to control
the messages their media outlets are disseminating about
Iraq, and asked them to seriously consider what can be done
to be of immediate economic assistance to Iraq (such as
contributing to reconstruction efforts or publicly announcing
debt forgiveness measures). The Ambassador urged the Iraqis
to participate in bilateral visits and to give highest
priority to sending the Minister of Finance to other states
to broach debt issues. The Ambassador stressed it is
important for visits to take place to clear up misperceptions
about what is happening inside Iraq. Jabr reported that he
has already seen evidence that the Ambassador's trip is
having positive effects. He visited Jordan after the
Ambassador and was told by the King that he plans to visit
Baghdad and urge the Iraqi Sunni Arabs living in Jordan to
participate in the political process.

--------------
TAL AFAR ISSUES
--------------


8. (S//REL GBR AUS) The Ambassador, GEN Casey, and LtGen
Brims all stressed again the need for the Iraqi government to
keep its commitments to the people of Tal Afar by commencing
to pay compensation and starting work on reconstruction
projects. The combat operations ended three weeks ago, and
still the Iraqis have not spent a dollar in Tal Afar. Since
the Iraqis have a good plan and have said that $50 million
has been allocated, why is there a delay? After some
uncomfortable back and forth among themselves, the Iraqi
participants said the Minister of Finance is trying to "find
the right mechanism" to make the funds available. GEN Casey
pointed out that U.S. forces have paid $850,000 in
compensation and have committed over $10 million to
reconstruction projects, many of which have already begun.
The Ambassador stressed that continued Iraqi foot-dragging on
this matter sets a bad example for the people and is not
acceptable.

--------------
AIRPORT SECURITY
--------------


9. (S//REL GBR AUS) The Ambassador raised the latest
security problem at the Baghdad International Airport. The
private security firm Global is still responsible for
security at the airport, but recently 25 trucks carrying over
100 Ministry of Transport security officers attempted to
enter the airport without advance notice. He warned that
this type of action easily could lead to a misunderstanding
that could result in violence. This cannot be tolerated. He
asked that the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior work
with the Minister of Transport to make sure this doesn't
happen again.

--------------
IRAQI CONCERNS
--------------


10. (S//REL GBR AUS) Jaafari raised two concerns regarding
security. He reported that security in Latifiya is
deteriorating and asked that MNF examine this and respond
accordingly. He also requested that the "new" bridge at
Musayyia be opened to civilian traffic. Since civilians are
restricted to the older bridge, there is great fear in the
area that another bridge tragedy like the one that took place
in Baghdad will occur. GEN Casey said he would look into the
matter.

Khalilzad
Khalilzad