ARAB LEAGUE IRAQ NATIONAL ACCORD CONFERENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CAIRO 008812

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/2015
TAGS: PREL IZ EG
SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE IRAQ NATIONAL ACCORD CONFERENCE
STATEMENT

REF: A. CAIRO 8704

B. CAIRO 8618

C. CAIRO 8785

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


1. (U) The text below represents an unofficial translation
of the "Agreed Statement" produced following the three day
Conference for Iraqi National Accord, held in Cairo November
19-21.

BEGIN TEXT:

"The Preparatory Meeting of the Conference for Iraqi National
Accord convened at the Headquarters of the Arab League during
the period of November 19-21, 2005 with the participation of
the Iraqi political parties from the different entities of
the Iraqi people at the invitation Mr. Amre Moussa,
Secretary-General of the Arab League.

SIPDIS

His Excellency President Muhammed Hosni Mubarak of Egypt,
President Jalal Talabani, Dr. Irahim al-Ja'ffari, Prime
Minister of Iraq, Mr. Abdel-Aziz Belkhadem, personal
representative of President Boutaflika of Algeria, and
Special Representative of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Mr.
Ashraf Qazi opened the meeting.

The inaugural session was attended by Arab Foreign Ministers,
members of the special ministerial committee on Iraq, the
Foreign Minister of Lebanon, Mustapha Osman Ismai'il, Advisor
to the President of Sudan, President of the African Union
Commission, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation
Council, Representative of the Union of North African States,
Representative of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Foreign
Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Representative of
the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, representatives of
the Permanent Members of the Security Council, Permanent
Representatives of the Arab Countries to the Arab League,
foreign ambassadors of countries which have Memoranda of
Understanding with the Arab League, a representative of the
European Union, representatives of the Islamic Conference, a
representative of the Islamic Bank for Development and the
International Commission of the Red Cross.

The participants discussed the preparations for the
Conference for the Iraqi National Accord and mechanisms for
the next stage of building the Iraq of the future. After the
end of the practices and policies of the condemned previous
regime, the deliberations demonstrated agreement on the
following:


1. Welcoming of the initiative of the Arab League to convene
the Iraqi National Accord Conference (INAC) and emphasis on
the interest of all to provide the best environment for the
convening and success of the conference.


2. Commitment to the unity, independence, sovereignty and
freedom of Iraq and not to allow intervention in its internal
affairs. Respect for the will of the Iraqi people and their
democratic in the framework of pluralism and a federal
system and their right to decide Iraq's future on their own.


3. The Iraqi people are looking forward to the day in which
foreign forces would leave Iraq and to build their military
and security forces in order to enjoy peace and stability,
and get rid of the terrorism that targets Iraqis and Iraqi
infrastructure and destroys the national wealth and the
State's apparatus.


4. Although resistance is a legitimate right for all people,
terrorism does not represent legitimate resistance.
Accordingly we condemn terrorism and acts of violence,
killing, and kidnapping that target Iraqi citizens, civilian,
humanitarian, governmental institutions, national wealth, and
places of worship and we call for confronting terrorism
immediately.


5. Condemn "Takfir" or the accusation of being infidels as
it contradicts the noble traditions of Islam which prohibit
the accusation of being an infidel of a Muslim by his Muslim
brothers and work to spread the Islamic values that call for
brotherhood, tolerance,a nd enhancement of national unity.


6. Call for release of innocent detainees who were not
indicted before the law and the investigation of the claims
of torture; holding accountable the negligent and the
perpetrators of such acts, and the immediate halt of
arbitrary raids and arrests without documented judicial
warrants.


7. Taking into account the resolutions of the Security
Council 1546 (2004) and 1637 (2005),the withdrawal of
foreign troops is called for according to a timetable through
the establishment of an immediate national program for
rebuilding the security forces to train, prepare and arm them
properly, that would enable them to protect the borders,
control the security situation, guarantee the security of
citizens and country, and end the terrorist operations.

8. Respect the position of all Iraqi peoples, entities and
the political process should not be impeded, and respect for
wide-scale participation in the forthcoming elections, and
respect for the ballot boxes and respect for the opinion of
the Iraqi people in choosing their representatives.

The participants called the Arab countries to support Iraq in
different areas; at the top of which include the following:


1. Accelerate canceling the debt of Iraq or reduce it in
accordance with Paris Club and the Arab League resolutions.


2. Contribute in training and rehabilitating the Iraqi
cadres in the different sectors of the State.


3. Enhance the Arab diplomatic presence in Iraq and provide
the necessary security for the Arab diplomatic missions.


4. Provide humanitarian assistance and play an active role
in reconstructing Iraq.


5. Assist in controlling the borders to prevent infiltration.

In light of the discussions and contributions, the first
working group headed by Abdel Aziz Belkhadem was established
to prepare for the Iraqi National Accord Conference. The
second working group was headed by Mustapha Ismai'il to
prepare confidence building measures.

Based on their work, the following has been agreed for the
Conference:


1. The Iraqi National Accord Conference would be held during
the last week of February or the first week in March in
Baghdad.


2. The Agenda for the Conference includes the following
elements:

a. Expansion of the political process to include all parties
based on a democratic approach

b. The unity, independence and sovereignty of Iraq and
establishing a program for ending the mission of the MNF-I

c. The security situation

d. Equal citizenship (rights and duties)

e. Forms of required support for the National Accord process
to succeed

f. Debts and reconstruction of Iraq


3. Standards for participation in the Conference are as
follows:

a. Ensuring a balanced and inclusive representation of the
Iraqi political parties and forces representing all the
entities of the Iraqi people, including the tribes, civil
society organizations and women.

b. Commitment to dialogue, democratic approach, denouncement
of violence and willingness to participate in the political
process.

c. Commitment to seek the achievement of the goals of the
political process through peaceful means and respect of
different points of view.


4. Establishment of a standing committee to prepare for the
INAC to be called the Follow-up and Preparation Committee, to
be comprised of the political parties in Iraq with the
participation of the Arab League and the cooperation of the
United Nations.


5. Approval of several practical confidence building
measures during the coming phase as follows:

a. Avoid the exchange of accusations and call the Iraqi and
Arab media to work to bridge the gaps between Iraqi
communities.

b. Restriction on the use of religious, political and media
fora for incitement of hatred and division.

c. Work on providing the appropriate environment for the
forthcoming elections in a free and transparent manner.

d. Provide the practical formula for regular meetings among
the political forces and Iraqi entities or communities to
create the environment for achieving Iraqi National Accord.
e. Underline the necessity to review the situation of
detainees as soon as possible and release those who were not
convicted and stop the raids unless they have documented
judicial warrants and provide an atmosphere of security and
peace.

The participants supported the struggle of the Palestinian's
people and their just and legitimate right to establish a
Palestinian state with Holy Jerusalem as its capital.

In conclusion, the participants expressed their gratitude and
appreciation for the Arab Republic of Egypt, the President,
government and the people for the warm reception and kind
hospitality. They also appreciated the speech of His
Excellency President Muhammed Hosni Mubarak and President
Abdelaziz Bouteflika. They also expressed their appreciation
for the role played by the Special Ministerial Committee of
the Arab League on Iraq and the efforts of the Secretary
General of the Arab League for convening this meeting, and
the results of this meeting and his important speech at the
inaugural session. They also expressed their appreciation
for the role played by the United Nations in supporting this
effort.

The Arab League expressed its gratitude for the efforts of
Hoshyar Zebari, the Foreign Minister of Iraq, and his
assistance at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the
cooperation they provided in preparing this meeting.

END TEXT


2. (C) Arab League reaction: Department TDY officers and
poloff met with Arab League Chief of Cabinet Hesham Youssef
immediately following the release of the agreed statement.
Youssef said the USG would likely be happy with some parts of
the document and unhappy with others. He said the League's
Secretary General Amre Moussa pressed participants to keep

SIPDIS
the language in the "Agreed Statement" on the level of
"principles" because the detailed discussions touched
sensitive areas, such as withdrawal of the MNF-I. Offering
an example, Youssef said that when all participants agreed to
describe the presence of foreign forces as an "occupation,"
Moussa pushed back. Likewise, when some participants
resisted including a reference to respect for the political
process in the statement, the League pressed to include the
reference. Confirming the pledge Moussa made to the
Ambassador in prior meetings, Youssef said the League "did
not and will not work at cross purposes" with the USG. But
because of Iraq's complexity, he explained, the national
accord process is also key.


3. (C) UN reaction: A visiting UN representative who
attended the conference told poloff that the UN believes the
conference dialogue was positive and that the agenda for the
proposed follow on conference is reasonable. When poloff
asked about the reference to the resistance as a "legitimate
right" (paragraph 4 of the first subsection of statement),he
said the participants did not indicate they wanted language
that could be interpreted as legitimizing attacks on foreign
forces. Rather, he noted, their intent was to condemn
terrorism. He noted that discussions at the proposed Baghdad
conference would most likely be more sensitive for the U.S.


RICCIARDONE