UN AMBASSADOR QAZI ON THE INTERNATIONAL COMPACT

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003281 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2016 TAGS: PGOV PNAT KDEM PREL ECON IZ SUBJECT: UN AMBASSADOR QAZI ON THE INTERNATIONAL COMPACT WITH IRAQ AND NATIONAL RECONCILIATION REF: BAGHDAD 3052 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Daniel Speckhard for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) In an August 30 meeting with Charge, UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Ashraf Qazi welcomed the UAE's decision to host the Iraq Compact Preparatory Committee meeting in Abu Dhabi on September 10. Qazi stressed that the Compact's political/security language should lay out the GOI's intentions, including on national reconciliation, but should not be made conditional on international assistance and should allay some Prep Groups members' concerns that the Compact's exclusive focus is on economic issues. Charge agreed that progress on the political/security front should go hand-in-hand with economic reforms. Qazi said he strongly supported efforts to invite Turkey as a Prep Group member. ¶2. (C) On national reconciliation, Qazi stated that there has been a solid beginning with respect to the "Baghdad Peace Initiative," but good intentions have to become concrete actions. Despite UNAMI conferences with various Iraqi political organizations and politicians, Iraqi agreements to form "peace committees" in Baghdad have not been acted upon. Qazi had heard positive reports on the Baghdad Security Plan and that the Iraqi people are happy to have some relief, but added that it must be supported by political results to have a lasting effect. In the wake of an August 7 IED attack on a UNAMI convoy, Qazi said that security concerns from UN headquarters in New York are hindering UNAMI efforts in Iraq and, in particular, impeding UNAMI's attempts to promote the Baghdad Peace Accord. (COMMENT: UNAMI officials have not traveled into the Red Zone since Deputy SRSG Schulenburg's convoy was the apparent target of an IED while traveling through the Adhamiyah District of North Baghdad on August 7. END COMMENT) ¶3. (C) Qazi expressed concern that the August 28 clash between Shia militia and ISF units in Diwaniyah would strengthen Moqtada al-Sadr's perception that MNF-I was not serious about a dialogue or engagement. Qazi cautioned that the Mahdi Army may seek to increase its activity and influence, working as a Hezbollah-style resistance and social movement. Following-up on a conversation with the Charge on August 18 (Reftel),Qazi said he was concerned Sadr believed that MNF-I was targeting him. The Charge reaffirmed that our objective is to stop violent and criminal behavior and that we were not targeting Sadr or Sadrists as an organization. KHALILZAD