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

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Arif Taifour ) The Only Returning CoR Leader
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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.

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Khalid al-Attiyah ) New Deputy Speaker
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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

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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