ARAB LEAGUE ENVOY TO IRAQ ON ARAB DIPLOMACY EFFORTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003028

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE ENVOY TO IRAQ ON ARAB DIPLOMACY EFFORTS


Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: On August 18 the Ambassador met with Arab
League Ambassador Mokhtar Lamani. Lamani expressed
frustration with Arab diplomatic efforts and asked for USG
assistance to get Lamani's report on the agenda for the
September 4 Arab League meeting. He encouraged the USG to
establish a dialogue with Harith Al-Dari (Association of
Muslim Scholars). He also asked for housing in the
International Zone due to recent security incidents at the
Arab League compound in the Red Zone. End summary.

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Frustration with Arab Diplomacy Efforts
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2. (C) Expressing what he said was his personal opinion
rather than the Arab League opinion, Lamani criticized Arab
leaders for having "no vision" of the future of the region.
Instead, he posited, they engage in "reactive diplomacy." He
said it is a "shame" on Arabs that faraway Japan is donating
money for Iraq reconstruction while Iraq's Arab neighbors are
not. In response to the Ambassador's query, Lamani said that
the key Arab players in Iraq are the neighboring Arab states
and Egypt. He said that these states were the ones that
could move the Arab League to take action on building the new
Iraq. The Arab League conference on Iraq will occur, but no
date has yet been established. The preparatory committee
remains open for further action on the conference issue.

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September 4 Arab League Meeting
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3. (C) Lamani said that he could present a report to the
September 4 Arab League meeting if it is put on the agenda by
a member state. The Ambassador responded that the USG can
encourage placing this issue on the agenda.

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Harith al-Dari Dialogue?
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4. (C) Lamani asked why the USG is not talking to Harith
Al-Dari (secretary general of the Association of Muslim
Scholars in Iraq) when the USG seems to be talking with
everyone else. Lamani added that he might be seeing Al-Dari
soon in Amman.

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International Zone Housing Request
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5. (C) Lamani said that the Arab League mission in the Red
Zone has experienced several disturbing incidents recently.
He said that three Toyota Land Cruisers recently came to the
compound. The occupants falsely claimed that they had a
meeting at the compound and they were turned away. Lamani's
secretary received a suspicious phone call inquiring about

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Lamani's schedule. At the same time, the security officers
who were previously stationed in the neighborhood have been
removed, leaving the compound vulnerable to attack. Lamani
said that he would like to move the Arab League delegation
into the International Zone. The Ambassador responded that
he could refer this request to the International Zone Housing
Committee for its consideration.
KHALILZAD