DEPUTY SPEAKERS DISCUSS INTERNAL REFORMS AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001354 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2026 TAGS: PGOV KDEM IZ SUBJECT: DEPUTY SPEAKERS DISCUSS INTERNAL REFORMS AND LEGISLATIVE GOALS Classified By: Classified by Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for Rea sons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. In separate meetings with PolOffs April 23 and 24, Council of Representatives (CoR) Deputy Speakers expressed the desire that leadership of the CoR be more participatory and power be less concentrated in the hands of the Speaker. They also said they hoped that the CoR will convene prior to the final formation of the government to deal with bylaws and committee memberships. END SUMMARY -------------- Arif Taifour ) The Only Returning CoR Leader -------------- ¶2. (C) Kurdish Alliance member and returning Deputy CoR Speaker Arif Taifour told PolOff and PolFSN April 23 that he had yet to meet privately with new Speaker Dr. Mahmoud Mashhadani, although a meeting between the two and new Deputy CoR Speaker Khalid al-Attiyah was scheduled for that morning (but later postponed). Taifour said he hoped the new Speaker's style would be different from that of his predecessor, Dr. Hajim al-Hasani. (NOTE: The TNA Deputy Speakers were critical of the concentration of power in the Speaker's Office. END NOTE). Taifour specifically cited the appointment of staff and creation of departments by the TNA Speaker since the TNA went into caretaker status. He added that decisions since February 10 (certification of election results) should be reconsidered and possibly be found null and void. He said he would raise the issues of decision-making, employees, and reforms with the new Speaker. ¶3. (C) Taifour said that the CoR would convene the week of April 30 to consider its bylaws, committee memberships, and the budget of the CoR. He said the distribution of committee chairs would be based on election results, with the goal of having committee chairs overseeing ministries headed by someone not from their party. -------------- Khalid al-Attiyah ) New Deputy Speaker -------------- ¶3. (C) Shia Coalition member and new Deputy CoR Speaker Shaykh Khalid al-Attiyah told PolOffs and PolFSN April 24 that he had only spoken briefly with the new Speaker, but that he had met at length with Taifour. He expressed hope that he would meet with the Speaker April 25 (NOTE: We understand that Attiyah, Mashhadani and Taifour did in fact meet April 25.) He mentioned the following internal priorities for the CoR: -- Adoption of amended bylaws ) In particular, he would like to see cooperation between the two Deputy Speakers and the Speaker enshrined in a Presidential Commission that would issue decisions together. (COMMENT: Articles 5-13 of the TNA Rules and Procedures established the Speaker and Deputies as a Presidency Commission, and gave the Commission organizational and managerial authorities, but did not require that major decisions be made after consultation within the Commission. Articles 25-28 gave a number of duties and authorities to the Speaker individually -- including over staff and debate -- and gave the Deputies only limited individual powers. The CoR will use the TNA Rules and Procedures until it adopts its own bylaws. END COMMENT) Like Arif Taifour, Attiyah said one of the major points against the TNA Speaker was the issuance of decisions without consultation. Attiyah commented that in his conversations with Taifour and Mashhadani, they appear to be in agreement on many issues and he anticipates that they would often be unanimous in their decisions. He added, however, that they would need to decide how to handle split votes. -- Committee Formation ) Attiyah said he would like the committees to be formed before the government formation process is complete. He agreed that all parties should be represented on the committees and said he had spoken with parties about appointing committee members on the basis of competency and efficiency, and not on the basis of sectarian shares. -- CoR Staff ) Attiyah mentioned that some CoR members are from "hotbed" areas in Iraq and that each member is entitled to fifteen bodyguards, some of whom "we know nothing about." He added that if some of them are "bad people," they could pose a risk not only to the Convention Center (home of the CoR),but to the International Zone as a whole. He said a strong security plan was required. He also said that some CoR staff are not qualified or efficient. Like Arif Taifour, he considered the hiring of employees within the last 3 BAGHDAD 00001354 002 OF 002 months as invalid. ¶5. (C) When asked whether the CoR would convene soon, Attiyah answered that it depended on the air conditioning. If it can be fixed soon, the CoR may meet the week of April 30. He said priorities for the new CoR will be: -- Passing the laws mentioned in the Constitution, which he said would require a lot of time and effort. -- Re-evaluating and amending the laws from the Saddam regime. -- Monitoring the operations of the new government, through enhanced capabilities and effective people on the CoR Committees. ¶6. (C) When asked about the Constitutional Review Committee, which Article 142 of the Constitution states the CoR shall form at the beginning of its work, Attiyah said discussions are required between the political parties on its formation and guidelines. He cited its importance given the short deadline of 4 months. ¶7. (C) Comment. The physical transition process is well underway in the CoR. Former TNA Speaker Dr. Hajim al-Hasani and TNA Deputy Speaker Hussein al-Shahristani met with their successors April 23 and were out of their offices the same day. We will watch how the power structure develops in the CoR to see if the Deputy Speakers become empowered or if the CoR remains a Speaker-dominated institution. End Comment. KHALILZAD