UNSRSG QAZI ON ELECTION PREPARATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 004983

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2015
TAGS: PGOV PNAT PTER PHUM IZ UN
SUBJECT: UNSRSG QAZI ON ELECTION PREPARATIONS


Classified By: Ambassador Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).


1. (C) UN Special Representative Ashraf Qazi told
Ambassador Khalilzad on December 10 that he would not
object if the IECI disqualified some candidates
charged by the De-Ba'thification Committee, as long as
there were not too many disqualifications or the
disqualified candidates were not well known.
Ambassador responded that no candidates should be
involuntarily removed. (NOTE: The IECI is expected to
allow all of the 93 candidates affected (from an
original 181) to remain on the ballot (septel to
follow). The 40 candidates who withdrew their names
voluntarily after being charged by the De-
Ba'thification Committee will remain off the ballot.
END NOTE.)


2. (C) Qazi expects that partial results of the
election may be available by December 22. However,
with inevitable complaints, challenges and
investigations, confirmation of the final results
should not be expected before January 7 (maybe later).


3. (C) A national unity government is desirable even
if it takes longer to form, Qazi opined, and if the
Shi'a Alliance gets less than 100 seats, a unity
government is possible. Ambassador cautioned that
Iraq cannot wait a long time for a government to form
and everyone must exert pressure to ensure that the
government is seated quickly.


4. (C) Qazi described his recent visit to Najaf and
his meeting with Grand Ayatollah Sistani and Ayatollah
Najafi. Sistani has continued to call for restraint
and reconciliation despite insurgent provocations but
warned that he does not know how long he can do this.
He called for peaceful elections. He told Qazi that
he appreciated UN support for a governorate based
electoral system instead of a national system.
Sistani also revealed to Qazi that he had a positive
evaluation of the Cairo Conference but that he told
his followers not to exercise enthusiasm so as not to
overly influence the process. Sistani said that the
problem in Iraq is a lack of trust and that Iraq must
work on this; there can be no "taqfir" allowed.
Sistani also asserted that the problem in Iraq is not
occupation; it is interference -- interference from
the West (Syria and Jordan, he clarified) that is
facilitated by the occupation. Najafi told Qazi that
the current sectarian split in Iraq is what the U.S.
wanted. He also opined that more Sunnis in government
would be a stabilizing influence. Najafi also
endorsed a southern Iraq region.
KHALILZAD