IRAQ: ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL MOUSSA AWAITS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 009469 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EG IZ SUBJECT: IRAQ: ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL MOUSSA AWAITS FINAL ELECTION RESULTS BEFORE MOVING FORWARD ON RECONCILIATION CONFERENCE PLANS REF: STATE 224071 (NOTAL) Classified by Ambassador Francis Ricciardone for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) During a December 22 meeting with the Ambassador, Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa sought a readout of Iraq's recent Parliamentary election results, noting that his information on electoral returns and efforts to form a new government was limited. After the election results are confirmed but even before the new GOI is formed, Moussa envisions sending a delegation to Baghdad, led by former Sudanese Foreign Minister Ismail, to work with Iraqis to plan the "reconciliation conference" in late-February or early-March. Moussa speculated that it may take until then for a new Iraqi government to be formed. Regardless, he added, the conference was necessary for Iraqis to overcome instability in their country. The League will continue to closely consult with the U.S., the UN, Iraq's neighbors, and all Iraqi political forces, he promised. ¶2. (C) The Ambassador passed Moussa the Eid al-Adha greetings of President Bush (reftel) which took positive note of the AL's constructive role in the November Iraq Conference. The Ambassador also called on Moussa to make additional public statements of support once final election results are public, if not before. It is important that Moussa and the League publicly acknowledge Iraqi progress toward completion of the political process spelled out in UNSCR 1546. The more that Arab neighbors support Iraq to stand up its security services and stabilize its government and economy, the Ambassador noted, the quicker that Coalition troop numbers can be drawn down. Responding, Moussa promised continued Arab support to Iraq, and stressed the importance of a new Iraqi government being as politically inclusive as possible. Moussa queried USG views on Abdel Mahdi, someone Moussa was personally impressed by and believed would make an excellent Prime Minister. Asked about League plans to establish a Baghdad office, Moussa said the security situation continued to discourage his staff from volunteering to serve there. RICCIARDONE