Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAGHDAD1368
2006-04-26 18:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

YOUNG PUK COR MEMBER CRITICIZES SPEAKER; WARNS OF

Tags:  PGOV PINR KWMN IZ 
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VZCZCXRO5648
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHGB #1368 1161853
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 261853Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4115
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001368 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR KWMN IZ
SUBJECT: YOUNG PUK COR MEMBER CRITICIZES SPEAKER; WARNS OF
DISENCHANTED KURDISH STREET


Classified By: Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001368

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR KWMN IZ
SUBJECT: YOUNG PUK COR MEMBER CRITICIZES SPEAKER; WARNS OF
DISENCHANTED KURDISH STREET


Classified By: Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) In an April 24 meeting with PolOffs, Kurdish
Alliance and new Council of Representatives (CoR) member
Tania Tal'at Muhammad Gilly expressed great
disappointment with new CoR Speaker Mahmoud Mashhadani's
April 22 acceptance speech and his recent comments in the
press. Gilly charged that Mashhadani's words
demonstrated what little regard he had for the CoR and
his position. She said that many members (from all
political parties) were embarrassed by his conduct and
are seeking ways to have him removed from office. She
criticized Mashhadani for his declaration during his
acceptance
speech that he bribed a government official USD 16,000
to get out of jail; she characterized this act as a "crime"
(COMMENT: Mashhadani's imprisonment occurred during
Saddam's regime. END COMMENT) She added that there
should be no criminals serving in the CoR, regardless of
whether the act was justified or not. Gilly admitted
that she, like many Kurds, turned in blank ballots for
Mashhadani but added that they did not receive specific
instructions to do so from party leaders. She said she
feared that Mashhadani's "clown act" will damage the
Sunnis' image and increase sectarianism within the CoR.


2. (C) Gilly told PolOffs that she wants to be a member
of the CoR Foreign Relations and Human Rights Committees
but added that this may be impossible because committee
selection is decided by "ones at the top." She asserted
that she has thoroughly examined the Constitution and
will focus her energy on ensuring that Article 41 remains
the legal basis for women's rights.


3. (C) Gilly warned that the Kurdish street is
disenchanted with the GOI and believes that President
Talabani has conceded too much on Kurdish issues in the
name of national unity and peace. The long delay in
forming the government has many Kurds impatient for the
issue of Kirkuk to be addressed. She argued that the
U.S. had the opportunity to "resolve" Kirkuk
before the drafting of the constitution. PolOff argued
that Iraqi political leaders agreed that resolving the
issue of Kirkuk could have easily delayed constitution
drafting and that the issue was mentioned in the document
so that it would not be forgotten.


4. (C) BIONOTE: Tania Tal'at Muhammad Gilly is the
youngest member of the Kurdish Alliance born on December
5, 1974 in Kuwait. There is some controversy about her
PUK candidacy. According to IECI records, Gilly was
added to the PUK Kirkuk list after the submission
deadline and inserted at #3 in the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan ticket in Kirkuk. Her father, Talat Muhammad
Ali, also PUK member, was a Transitional National
Assembly (TNA) member. Gilly was schooled in Canada and
holds Canadian citizenship. Until very recently, she lived
in Maryland and worked for a DC based NGO. In
the fall of 2005, Gilly came to Baghdad as a consultant
for the "Pledge for Iraq" women's rights campaign. She
was also a participant in the "Future of Iraq" project in
DC. She is married with two sons but lives with her
parents in Kirkuk. She appears secular. She has an
excellent command of the English language. END BIONOTE.
KHALILZAD