IRAQI CONSTITUTION: INDIAN SUPPORT, BUT NO

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 006660 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2015 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM IZ IN SUBJECT: IRAQI CONSTITUTION: INDIAN SUPPORT, BUT NO STATEMENT REF: STATE 158420 Classified By: A/DCM Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (U) This is an action request for NEA/I. Please see para ¶4. ¶2. (C) PolMilOff encouraged the GOI to make a public statement in support of Iraq's efforts to draft a constitution and delivered the Secretary's statement and fact sheet (Reftel) during her meeting with MEA Deputy Secretary (Americas) Santosh Jha on August 29. Jha stated that he did not think the GOI planned to make a formal statement, but would have a positive response if the issue were raised by the media. (Note: As of today, the GOI has not commented publicly on the Iraqi constitution via an official statement, nor has the issue been raised in any GOI interactions with the media.) ¶3. (C) PolMilOff also spoke to Iraqi Charge Muayad Hussain on August 30 to inquire if the Iraqi embassy planned to do any public outreach on Iraq's constitutional process. Iraqi Charge said he did not want to do any outreach events until he received a copy of the draft constitution. He noted that Jamia Islamia University, the premier Muslim university in India, had already contacted him about organizing a seminar on the draft constitution, but he said he would defer until he becomes familiar with the contents of the document. ¶4. (U) Action Request: If available, please email Post a copy of the current draft constitution in Arabic and/or English to pass to Iraqi Embassy. Slug for PolMilOff Stacy Gilbert. ¶5. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website: (http//www.state.sgov/p/sa/newdelhi) MULFORD