ARAB LEAGUE STILL HOPING TO OFFER CONSTITUTIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 005305 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID IZ SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE STILL HOPING TO OFFER CONSTITUTIONAL ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ REF: STATE 124857 Classified by Economic-Political Counselor John Desrocher for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) In response to reftel demarche, Arab League spokesman Hossam Zaki told PolOff July 12 that the League had been trying to facilitate the participation of legal experts in Iraq's constitution drafting process. With the assassination of the Egyptian ambassador in Baghdad, according to Zaki, Secretary General Moussa was having a difficult time lining up volunteers. PolOff noted reftel emphasis on assistance inside Iraq as opposed to overseas; Zaki acknowledged that the League sought to support an internal Iraqi process and agreed that the work should be done inside Iraq. He said the Secretary General wanted "one or two" experts to assist the Iraqis as needed. ¶2. (C) Zaki did not think that a DVC between experts outside Iraq and the drafters in Baghdad was a meaningful alternative to working together in the same facility. He lamented that the security situation worked to inhibit travel to Iraq, yet noted the League's interest in a timely drafting process. ¶3. (C) The concept of establishing an Arab League office in Iraq was still being discussed, according to Zaki (and had been discussed by the Secretary General in Brussels on June 22),but was facing some political opposition from inside Iraq. Without offering many specifics, Zaki made it clear that Iranian interests were working against a League presence. He said establishment of a League office was not linked to assistance in the constitution drafting process, although an ongoing presence might facilitate other areas of assistance to Iraq. Visit Embassy Cairo's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/cairo You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. CORBIN