Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAGHDAD2147
2006-06-22 14:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

THE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND DIALOGUE PROJECT

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PTER KEM IZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7482
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #2147/01 1731446
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 221446Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5252
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC//NSC PRIORITY
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 BAGHDAD 002147 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PTER KEM IZ
SUBJECT: THE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND DIALOGUE PROJECT

REF: REF ESCROGIMA-NEA/I E-MAIL 6/21/06

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR MARGARET SCOBEY, FOR REASONS
1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 BAGHDAD 002147

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PTER KEM IZ
SUBJECT: THE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND DIALOGUE PROJECT

REF: REF ESCROGIMA-NEA/I E-MAIL 6/21/06

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR MARGARET SCOBEY, FOR REASONS
1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) As per ref, PM Maliki may announce his national
reconciliation plan as early as the Council of
Representative's next session, June 25. Discussion continues
among the Presidency, Prime Minister, DPMs and CoR leadership
on the details. Sunni VP Tarik al-Hashimi has proposed
additions that
would expand the plan significantly and include objectionable
language recognizing the "legitimacy of national resistance,"
distinguishing it from terrorism and noting the "necessity"
of involving the national resistance in the dialogue on
national reconciliation.



2. (SBU) Para 3 contains the proposal as drafted by National
Security Advisor al-Rubbaie,
which the Prime Minister has circulated for approval.
Paragraph 4 contains Hashimi's rewrite.


3. (SBU) Begin Text Maliki/Rubbaie version:

The National Reconciliation and Dialogue Project

In order to emphasize the unity of the Iraqi people, and
firmly establish the
basis of national unity, spread an environment of harmony and
love between
its various components, and dealing with the effects which
terror has left
on mutual confidence. For spreading the spirit of loyal
patriotism for an Iraq
that treats all Iraqis equally with regard to their rights
and their duties
and does not distinguish on the basis of sect, ethnicity, or
political party.
In order to form a broad national front to face the
challenges and requirements
of the process of building Iraq and the prosperity of its
people, and for the
restoration of its full will and sovereignty, and for our
dear Iraq to
restore its leading position regionally and internationally.
For the sake of
all this we launch the national reconciliation and dialogue
initiative, which
is based on two fundamental pillars:

An approved mechanism.
Required principles and policies.

First: Mechanisms


A. To form a high national commission in the name of (The
National Commission
of the National Reconciliation and Dialogue Project) from

representatives
of the three authorities and the Minister of State for the
National Dialogue,
representatives of the parliamentary lists composed of
coalitions of
political movements, independent figures, representatives of
the religious
authorities and the tribes.

B. To form subcommittees in the provinces to assume
the same tasks that the High National Commission would
undertake in order to
horizontally expand reconciliation.

C. To form field committees for establishing
cultural and media visions and to follow up the
reconciliation process and
focus on, and evaluate, its stages.

D. To convene a conference for various
components of the society such as:

1. A conference for religious scholars in order
to support the reconciliation process and the issuance of
Fatwas supporting
reconciliation, fatwas are considered abiding by God's will.

2. A conference for heads of tribes to issue a Code of Honor
to confront,
fight and defeat terrorism and those who are corrupt.

3. A conference for the presently active political forces who
pledge support
to the State, support the political process, confront the
terrorist
challenge and corruption and to announce a National Compact
to that effect.

4. Motivating all civil society institutions to hold events,

BAGHDAD 00002147 002 OF 006


conferences and
awareness and education campaigns.

Second: Required Principles and Policies


1. The political forces participating in the political
process and the
government should adopt a rational political message to bring
back and
deepen the spirit of confidence and to reassure the reluctant
parties.

2. To adopt a true national dialogue for dealing with all
visions and stances
that differ from the vision of the government and the
political forces
participating in the political process.

3. To adopt the constitutional and
legal legitimacy to solve the country's problems, and deal
with the
phenomenon of physical liquidations and exert efforts for
controlling
such a dangerous phenomenon.

4. The political forces participating in the
government must take a clear and forthright stance against
terrorists
and Saddamists.

5. To issue a general pardon for detainees who were not
involved in crimes, terrorist acts, war crimes, and crimes
against
humanity, and he who desires the opportunity for pardon
pledges to
denounce violence and pledges support for the national
elected
Iraqi government and pledges to follow the law.

6. To prevent human rights violations, work on prison reform
and punish
those responsible for crimes of torture, and enable the
international organizations
concerned to visit prisons and inspect the prisoners'
conditions.

7. To discuss with the Multi National Forces putting in place
mechanisms to prevent
violations of human and civil rights during military
operations.

8. To solve the problems of the employees of the dissolved
departments,
particularly the economic aspect.

9. To reconsider the Debaathification
commission, making it subject to the law and the judiciary,
and removing
its political character so as to assume a professional and
constitutional nature.

10. To take swift measures to improve services
especially in hot areas.

11. To activate preparatory committees that emerged
from the Cairo Conference for the National Accord in
coordination
with the United Nations.

12. The government should make a regional Arab Islamic
balanced move to make governments aware of what is going on
in Iraq and
win their support for the national accord process, especially
the governments
that offer support to or overlook terrorism.

13. Serious and rapid work to
build the Armed Forces, which will assume Iraq's security
management,
paving the way for the Multi National Forces pullout.

14. The government should
honor its previous commitment by working on studying amending
the
Constitution.

15. To activate decisions to support victims of the former
regime,
compensate them, and provide the means to improve living and
service
conditions in the deprived areas.

16. To revoke all red lines that prevent
the participation of any Iraqi citizen who did not commit any
crime
and wants to work toward building Iraq.

17. To compensate those harmed
by terrorist acts and military operations.

18. Activate the role of just
judiciary for punishing criminals, and making the Judiciary
the only
authority in dealing with crimes, symbols of the former
regime, and
terrorists.

19. To make the armed forces not subject to the influence of
the

BAGHDAD 00002147 003 OF 006


competing political forces, and to keep the Armed forces from
intervening
in political matters. To solve the problem of the militias
and the illegal
armed groups and dealing with them politically, economically,
and in
terms of security.

20. To unify visions and positions vis-a-vis terrorist and
Takfeer elements and groups hostile to Iraq and the Iraqis.

21. To launch an extensive construction campaign for all
damaged areas in
Iraq and to solve the unemployment problem.

22. The Parliament, the Constitution, and the National Unity
Government
were the result of elections and these institutions
constitute the legitimate
representation of the Iraqi people's will in dealing with
issues of
sovereignty and no one has the right any longer to talk about
resistance
outside the scope of these legitimate institutions.

End Text.


4, (C) Begin Text Hashimi version:

The National Reconciliation and Dialogue Project

For emphasizing the unity between the Iraqi people,
consolidating the
rules of national unity, establishing an environment of
harmony and
love between various components, and dealing with the effects
which
terror in all its forms, mismanagement and foreign
intervention has
left on mutual confidence between Iraqis and for deepening
the
spirit of sincere citizenship (in which all Iraqis become
equal
in their rights and duties, without political, sectarian,
ethnic
and partisan distinction) and for forming a wide national
front
to confront the challenges of the process of building Iraq
and
the welfare of its people and the restoration of its full
will
and sovereignty, and for restoring Iraq's pioneer and unique
position regionally and internationally, we launch the
national
reconciliation and dialogue initiative, which is based on
three
fundamental pillars:


1. Required principles and policies.

2. An approved mechanism

3. The organizational structure.

First: Required principles and policies

1. Adopting a political, information, religious and
rational
message that opposes the sectarian and ethnic calls from
the political powers participating in the political process,
the government and the remaining political movements working
in the field for restoring and deepening confidence and trust
of all parties, the neutrality of governmental media and
preventing it from dealing with issues that stimulate ethnic
and sectarian chauvinism and incite resentment, hatred an
revenge must be emphasized.

2. Adopting a policy of honest national dialogue in
dealing
with all visions and positions which oppose the visions and
positions of the government and the political forces
participating in the political process.

3. Adopting constitutional and legal legitimacy to
resolve the problems of the country. Dealing with the
phenomena of physical liquidations, and exerting efforts
to control this dangerous phenomena.

4. Establishing a position concerning the occupation
nd the necessity of agreement concerning a conditional
timetable for withdrawal concurrent with building the
Armed Forces in a way that guarantees the security of
Iraq, and supporting that with a decision issued by the
Security Council.

5. Adopting a decisive foreign policy towards
neighboring countries with the purpose of preventing
their intervention in Iraqi affairs, controlling the
borders and stopping infiltrations.

6. The political forces participating in the government

BAGHDAD 00002147 004 OF 006


must take a clear and candid position against terrorists,
Saddamists, the occupation, the armed party militias
and the death squads.

7. As an initiative of good faith and in preparation
for launching an initiative for Reconciliation and
Dialogue, release all detainees in the prisons of MOD
and MOI and the US controlled prisons are released
within a specific period except for detainees who were
convicted of committing regular crimes.

8. Formation of a special commission to review the
sentences issued against Iraqis in crimes other than
regular crimes.

9. Prevention of human rights violations and work for
reforming prisons and punishing those who are responsible
for crimes of torture, and referring them to the courts
for holding them accountable in accordance with the law.
Enabling concerned international and national organizations
to visit prisons and examine prisoners' conditions without
obstacles and adopt reports submitted by those organizations.

10. Negotiation with the Multi National Forces for
establishment of mechanisms to prevent human rights
violations
and violations against civilians during military operations.

11. Resolving the problems of dissolved government
departments,
especially ones related to economic aspect and restoring
those whose
experience can be used and those who did not reach the legal
age of
retirement to their previous positions.

12. Review the Debaathification law

13. Taking quick measures to improve services especially in
hot areas.

14. To activate preparatory committees that emerged from
the Cairo
Conference for the National Accord in coordination with the
Arab
league.

15. The government should make a regional Arab Islamic
balanced move
to make governments aware of what is going on in Iraq and win
their
support for the national accord process.

16. Serious and rapid work to build the Armed Forces of MOD
and MOI
and others to guarantee building it on national and
professional basis
since it will assume Iraq's security, paving the way for the
Multi
National Forces pullout.

17. Work to amend the Constitution within the period
stipulated in Article
142, the COR must fulfill its previous commitment to work for
that
goal.

18. To activate decisions to support victims of the former
regime, the
occupation and subsequent governments or those who were
subjected
to terrorism and violence from any source and compensate
them, and
provide the means to improve living and service conditions in
the
deprived areas all over Iraq.

19. Recognize the legitimacy of national resistance and
distinguish
national resistance from terrorism and encourage the
resistance to join
the political process and the necessity of involving the
national
resistance in the dialogue of national reconciliation.

20. To revoke all red lines that prevent the participation
of any Iraqi
citizen either as individuals or as groups in the political
process.

21. To compensate those harmed by terrorist acts, military
operations and
human rights violations committed by the government and
occupation
forces.

22. Work to return the displaced to their areas. The
government and its
security institutions must secure their return and protect
them against
saboteurs and terrorists as well as compensate them for
damages and
adopt a decisive security policy to guarantee people's
protection and to
prevent their being subjected to theft and coercion.

23. Return seized mosques and shrines to their people and
legal owners

BAGHDAD 00002147 005 OF 006


and reconstruct mosques which were burned or destroyed.

24. Guarantee the fairness and independence of the
Judiciary.

25. Work diligently to free the armed forces from the
influence of the
competing political forces, and from intervening in political
matters.
To solve the problem of the militias and the illegal armed
groups by
integrating them into civil society through appointment in
various civil
ministries of the State.

26. To unify the visions and positions vis-a-vis the
terrorist and Takfeeri
elements and groups, of all sects and religions that are
hostile towards
Iraq and the Iraqis.

27. To launch an extensive construction campaign for all
damaged areas in
Iraq, aiming in the first place to improve services and to
solve the
unemployment problem.

28. An immediate halt of military operations, raids on
areas and collective
punishments directed towards specific areas in the name of
combating
terrorism. Detention and search operations must be done in
accordance
with real judicial orders issued before the raids or
detention and based
on definitive information.

Second: An approved Mechanism.


A. The Prime Minister officially announces the launching
of a project for
reconciliation and national dialogue before the COR by
presenting a document
signed by all the leaders of the concerned political
structures.

B. Holding conferences for various sectors of society such
as:
1- A conference for religious scholars in order to support
the reconciliation
process and the issuance of Fatwas supporting reconciliation
"as a clinging
to the cord of God" and we appeal to the highest religious
authorities to
issue rulings that forbid the shedding of Iraqi blood.
2- A conference for heads of tribes to issue a Code of
Honor calling
for commitment to the project and for confronting, fighting
and defeating
terrorism and those who are corrupt.
3- A conference for the presently active political forces,
to undertake
supporting the State, protecting the political process based
on higher
national interest of preserving the unity of Iraq's people
and territory
and confronting the deteriorating security situation,
terrorism, and
corruption which is happening as one of the results, and
consequence, of
occupation, and announcing a national Compact for this.

C. Motivating all civil society institutions to hold
events, conferences
and awareness and education campaigns.

D. Bringing about real reform to the various institutions
of the State
and its management methods. It is necessary to build sound
government
institutions that enjoy independence in order to make the
government at
the service of the people instead of being a burden for the
people.

E. The plan is to be implemented in the following stages
and in accordance
with an agreed upon timetable:
- The planning stage
- The implementation stage
- The preparatory stage
- The implementation of policies stage
- The evaluation and review stage

Third : The Organizational Structure.

1. The National Organization for National Reconciliation
and
Dialogue (planning). The Minister of State for national
Dialogue as
its secretary. (It can emanate from the political committee

BAGHDAD 00002147 006 OF 006


for
National Security)

2. The executive committees ( implementation)

3. The central committee for follow up ( a preferably
neutral entity to
follow up, observe and rectify)

4. Arbitration Committee (a neutral entity, legal power
with final and
compulsory decisions. (it is necessary to agree early on the
members of the organization and the committees)

End Text
SPECKHARD