IRAQ: ARAB LEAGUE TO ATTEND BRUSSELS MINISTERIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 004317

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON EAID EG IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ: ARAB LEAGUE TO ATTEND BRUSSELS MINISTERIAL
AND SUPPORT IRAQ'S POLITICAL PROCESS

REF: STATE 103222

Classified by ECPO Counselor John Desrocher for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).

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Summary
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1. (C) Post delivered reftel demarche to Arab League
Secretariat Chief of Staff Hesham Yousef June 7, urging the

SIPDIS
Arab League and its members to do as much as possible to
support the Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) in the run-up
to, and beyond, the June 22 ministerial conference in
Brussels. Yousef confirmed receipt of an invitation to the
Brussels meeting and said that Arab League Secretary General
Moussa would attend. Yousef also confirmed recent press
reports suggesting that the League would establish diplomatic
representation in Baghdad but would not commit to a date. He
noted that it would be easier for the League to encourage its
member states to open/expand diplomatic ties once the League
has set up in Baghdad. Yousef said that Arab specialized
agencies would meet in Cairo during July where they would
address an agenda item entitled, "Assistance to the Iraqi
People." On inviting a senior Iraqi Government figure to
address a session of the Arab League, Yousef said that the
League was prepared to do so. End summary.

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Arab League Office in Baghdad?
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2. (C) During a June 7 meeting with Arab League Chief of
Staff, Hesham Yousef, Post delivered reftel demarche on
deliverables for the June 22 Brussels International
Conference on Iraq, in addition to pressing for regional
support for advancing the peace process (septel). On Iraq,
Yousef confirmed that Arab League Secretary General Amre
Moussa had told Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari during a May 25
phone conversation that the League would establish a
representational office in Baghdad and send a legal expert to
assist in the constitution-drafting exercise. Pressed on
content and timing, Yousef said that the League had committed
to sending a "permanent delegation" but had not yet
determined the precise designation (i.e., "a mission, or
office, etc."),nor the exact timing of their arrival. He
said that the League needed to recruit staff for the office -
not an easy task, he said, due to security concerns.


4. (C) Poloff urged the League Secretariat to strongly
encourage its member states to establish diplomatic ties with
Iraq. While expressing support, Yousef admitted that the
League has not pressed hard on this issue since the League
has yet to establish its own representation inside Iraq.
Once such representation is present on the ground, he said,
it will be easier for the League to prompt others to follow
suit. He cautioned that League members are reluctant to set
up in Baghdad due to security fears. Poloff strongly
encouraged the League to move as quickly as possible to
arrange its representation in Baghdad in order to set an
example for its members to follow.

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League Specialized Agencies to Support Iraq
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5. (C) Yousef stressed that the Arab League had communicated
to the Iraqi Government on several occasions its willingness
to do "exactly what they request us to do." Iraqi Foreign
Minister Zebari had spoken with Moussa on the phone May 25
and Iraqi MFA senior official Ambassador Hamoud met Moussa in
Cairo June 2 on the margins of a Steering Group committee
meeting planning the Brussels conference (septel). Both
privately and publicly, the League was stressing a message of
normalized relations with Iraq. Citing one example of how
Moussa was publicly supporting the government in Iraq, Yousef
said that at the recent Arab-Latin American summit in
Brasilia, Moussa welcomed in his opening address only one
President - Iraqi President Talabani. Similarly, the Arab
League group of specialized agencies (approximately 22
agencies in all fields of work) planned to meet in Cairo in
mid-July. At this meeting, the League had agreed to add as
an agenda item, "Assistance to the Iraqi People." Asked if
there was anything the USG or Iraq could do to ensure the
success of this event, Yousef replied that a strong showing
by senior Iraqi officials and a clear presentation of its
needs would be most helpful.

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Encouraging Senior Iraqi ITG Figure to Speak at League
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6. (C) Responding to reftel talking point regarding inviting
a senior ITG figure to address a session of the Arab League
in Cairo, Yousef said that the League was "home to all its
members," and that all the Iraqis had to do was request such
a meeting or event. "This is their house, he added, and they
are "welcome at any time." They can address Permanent
Representatives, the September Council of Ministers meeting,
or come for a visit at any time, he said. Poloff urged the
League to be proactive and seek out an Iraqi leader to
address the League.


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GRAY