Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAGHDAD1367
2006-04-26 18:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
SALAFIST PARLIAMENT SPEAKER PLEDGES TOLERANCE,
how-toVZCZCXRO5597 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS DE RUEHGB #1367/01 1161824 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 261824Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4113 INFO RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001367
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV KISL IZ
SUBJECT: SALAFIST PARLIAMENT SPEAKER PLEDGES TOLERANCE,
COOPERATION WITH SHIA
REF: A. 05 BAGHDAD 1085 AND 1102
B. BAGHDAD 1360
Classified By: Political Counselor Robert Ford,
reason 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001367
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV KISL IZ
SUBJECT: SALAFIST PARLIAMENT SPEAKER PLEDGES TOLERANCE,
COOPERATION WITH SHIA
REF: A. 05 BAGHDAD 1085 AND 1102
B. BAGHDAD 1360
Classified By: Political Counselor Robert Ford,
reason 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: Newly elected Iraqi Parliament Speaker
al-Mashadani told us April 26 that he would work closely
with the Kurdish and Shia deputy speakers to craft
compromises that would reinforce Iraqi unity in the years
ahead. Clearly relishing his new post, al-Mashadani said
Iraqi Sunni Salafists must reach out to Shia to
demonstrate the real possibility of peaceful coexistence
in a united Iraq. Mashadani has been quite outspoken and
anti-Shia in the past, and we will have to see if he
actually operates the way he said he would. His success
or failure will be an important indicator of the success
of the broader national unity government. End Summary.
2. (C) Newly elected Iraqi Council of Representatives
Speaker Mahmud al-Mashadani highlighted to us April 26
that he would work closely with the Kurdish and Shia
deputy speakers and help consolidate national unity.
Mashadani said he was already starting to consult closely
with Deputy Shaykh Khaled al-Atiyeh from the Shia
Islamist Coalition and Dr. Aref Tayfur from the Kurdish
Alliance about how to run the parliament. Mashadani
acknowledged that legislation over the next years would
involve compromises from all sides, but he thought the
leadership could work together to consolidate national
unity. In the end, he underlined, Iraq's Sunni Arabs and
Shia must live together.
3. (C) PolCouns stressed that Mashadani cannot be
perceived as acting merely as a representative of Iraq's
Sunni Arab community; he must truly represent all Iraqis.
Mashadani readily agreed, saying he planned to seek
meetings with Muqtada Sadr and Ayatollah SISTANI to
demonstrate to the Sunni Salifists the importance of
reaching across sectarian lines. PolCouns noted that
Salafists in general, and Iraqi Salafists in particular,
are not famous for their tolerance. Mashadani rejoined
that in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, al-Qa'ida and other
extremist groups have hijacked the Salifist trend.
Obviously, he commented, Sunni and Shia will have
differences, but the correct approach in such cases is to
"look back to before" to see how to resolve them.
4. (C) Noting that the Sunni Arabs are the ones who
claim to speak most for Iraqi national unity, Mashadani
said they would now have to show that mean what they say.
He predicted that if Islamists, both Sunni and Shia,
demonstrate that they can coexist in Iraq they can score
political advantage over Iraqi secularists who warn that
religious political parties fuel sectarianism.
5. (C) Mashadani claimed that hard-line Sunni Arabs who
had so far been sympathetic to the insurgency were
telling him privately of their surprise that the
Americans had let Mashadani reach the presidency of the
parliament. Mashadani said he was responding that the
Americans had opened "a very wide space." PolCouns noted
that commitment to democratic principles and the
constitution was the key for the U.S.
6. (C) Comment: Mashadani expressed surprise to us
that he was elected the speaker. (He claimed his
election forestalled a crisis within the ranks of the
Sunni Arab Tawafuq front about divisions of political
gains - see ref b.) In our first meetings with al-
Mashadani in early 2005 he appeared more a lunatic
ranting about the Shia than a flexible politician (see
refs). He claimed on April 26 that he has softened his
views (and we have seen less ranting). At this meeting,
he certainly hit the right notes. We know that al-
Mashadani has met intensively with the Shia and Kurdish
deputy speakers (for example, they were coming out of his
office as we went in on April 26). That said, we have
also heard that al-Mashadani and his immediate team are
checking into the sectarian backgrounds of the
parliament's permanent staff. There are certainly
suspicions among Iraqi politicos about al-Mashadani's
suitability as speaker, particularly after his April 23
interview with Al-Jazeera. Thus, his performance will be
one important gauge of how strong this national unity
government will be. He welcomed our engagement
personally with him and with the parliament as a whole
going forward.
BAGHDAD 00001367 002 OF 002
KHALILZAD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV KISL IZ
SUBJECT: SALAFIST PARLIAMENT SPEAKER PLEDGES TOLERANCE,
COOPERATION WITH SHIA
REF: A. 05 BAGHDAD 1085 AND 1102
B. BAGHDAD 1360
Classified By: Political Counselor Robert Ford,
reason 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: Newly elected Iraqi Parliament Speaker
al-Mashadani told us April 26 that he would work closely
with the Kurdish and Shia deputy speakers to craft
compromises that would reinforce Iraqi unity in the years
ahead. Clearly relishing his new post, al-Mashadani said
Iraqi Sunni Salafists must reach out to Shia to
demonstrate the real possibility of peaceful coexistence
in a united Iraq. Mashadani has been quite outspoken and
anti-Shia in the past, and we will have to see if he
actually operates the way he said he would. His success
or failure will be an important indicator of the success
of the broader national unity government. End Summary.
2. (C) Newly elected Iraqi Council of Representatives
Speaker Mahmud al-Mashadani highlighted to us April 26
that he would work closely with the Kurdish and Shia
deputy speakers and help consolidate national unity.
Mashadani said he was already starting to consult closely
with Deputy Shaykh Khaled al-Atiyeh from the Shia
Islamist Coalition and Dr. Aref Tayfur from the Kurdish
Alliance about how to run the parliament. Mashadani
acknowledged that legislation over the next years would
involve compromises from all sides, but he thought the
leadership could work together to consolidate national
unity. In the end, he underlined, Iraq's Sunni Arabs and
Shia must live together.
3. (C) PolCouns stressed that Mashadani cannot be
perceived as acting merely as a representative of Iraq's
Sunni Arab community; he must truly represent all Iraqis.
Mashadani readily agreed, saying he planned to seek
meetings with Muqtada Sadr and Ayatollah SISTANI to
demonstrate to the Sunni Salifists the importance of
reaching across sectarian lines. PolCouns noted that
Salafists in general, and Iraqi Salafists in particular,
are not famous for their tolerance. Mashadani rejoined
that in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, al-Qa'ida and other
extremist groups have hijacked the Salifist trend.
Obviously, he commented, Sunni and Shia will have
differences, but the correct approach in such cases is to
"look back to before" to see how to resolve them.
4. (C) Noting that the Sunni Arabs are the ones who
claim to speak most for Iraqi national unity, Mashadani
said they would now have to show that mean what they say.
He predicted that if Islamists, both Sunni and Shia,
demonstrate that they can coexist in Iraq they can score
political advantage over Iraqi secularists who warn that
religious political parties fuel sectarianism.
5. (C) Mashadani claimed that hard-line Sunni Arabs who
had so far been sympathetic to the insurgency were
telling him privately of their surprise that the
Americans had let Mashadani reach the presidency of the
parliament. Mashadani said he was responding that the
Americans had opened "a very wide space." PolCouns noted
that commitment to democratic principles and the
constitution was the key for the U.S.
6. (C) Comment: Mashadani expressed surprise to us
that he was elected the speaker. (He claimed his
election forestalled a crisis within the ranks of the
Sunni Arab Tawafuq front about divisions of political
gains - see ref b.) In our first meetings with al-
Mashadani in early 2005 he appeared more a lunatic
ranting about the Shia than a flexible politician (see
refs). He claimed on April 26 that he has softened his
views (and we have seen less ranting). At this meeting,
he certainly hit the right notes. We know that al-
Mashadani has met intensively with the Shia and Kurdish
deputy speakers (for example, they were coming out of his
office as we went in on April 26). That said, we have
also heard that al-Mashadani and his immediate team are
checking into the sectarian backgrounds of the
parliament's permanent staff. There are certainly
suspicions among Iraqi politicos about al-Mashadani's
suitability as speaker, particularly after his April 23
interview with Al-Jazeera. Thus, his performance will be
one important gauge of how strong this national unity
government will be. He welcomed our engagement
personally with him and with the parliament as a whole
going forward.
BAGHDAD 00001367 002 OF 002
KHALILZAD