ARAB LEAGUE PLANS FOR IRAQ NATIONAL ACCORD

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001752 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2016 TAGS: PREL IR IZ SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE PLANS FOR IRAQ NATIONAL ACCORD CONFERENCE Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Arab League Ambassador to Iraq Mokhtar Lamani told Ambassador Khalilzad on May 22 that he intends to hold the Arab League Iraq National Accord Conference in Baghdad on June 20-22. He plans to invite UNSYG Kofi Annan, the Foreign Ministers of the Arab League, Iran, Turkey, the EU and the P5 countries. (Note: These dates conflict with an Organization of the Islamic Conference in Baku, where high level delegations are also expected. We will work the Arab League to de-conflict the schedule. End note.) ¶2. (C) Ambassador Lamani said he intends to invite all Iraqi leaders, including leaders of the resistance. According to Lamani, the majority of Ba'thists are now in the Islamic opposition, and he is trying to contact their leaders. He said he is also trying to ensure that Muslim Scholars head Harith al-Dhari attends, but al-Dhari continues to insist on a timetable for Coalition withdrawal. ¶3. (C) Lamani said that he plans to visit Ayatollah Sistani and Muqtada al-Sadr in Najaf next week to discuss the meeting. He will also travel to the Kurdish region, which Lamani noted it is important for him as Arab League Ambassador to visit. Lamani fretted that some delegates are worried about security and have asked that the meeting be held in Cairo, but Lamani has insisted on Baghdad. ¶4. (C) The agenda for the meeting is still a work in progress, but Lamani said he wants specific outcomes through a series of workshops. We cannot have everyone discuss everything, he said, and if there is some progress on "easy" issues (e.g. displaced persons) then that would be a good sign for everyone to continue in the process. Lamani suggested that perhaps Sistani and al-Dhari could both issue statements for people to go back to their homes. ¶5. (C) Lamani said the Iranians want Arab League SG Amr Musa to visit, but Musa, as an Egyptian, is reluctant to do so and may send Lamani instead. KHALILZAD