AMBASSADOR PRESSES IRAQI PARLIAMENT SPEAKER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003728 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2016 TAGS: PGOV KDEM IZ SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR PRESSES IRAQI PARLIAMENT SPEAKER MASHHADANI FOR TIMELINE ON TOUGH ISSUES REF: BAGHDAD 3693 Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. The Ambassador told the Speaker of the Council of Representatives (CoR) Dr. Mahmoud al-Mashhadani October 3 that the Policy Committee on National Security (PCNS) should review the timelines for dealing with the tough national issues (e.g., de-Baathification, amnesty, hydrocarbons) that evening and publicly announce the agreement and the members' commitment to the timelines. The Speaker informed the Ambassador that the region formation law would have its second reading that same day, and the Ambassador encouraged him to work for a broad agreement on the law that has buy-in from more parties than just Shiite SCIRI and the Kurdish Alliance. Mashhadani stated that a joint proposal from secular cross-sectarian Iraqiyya, and Sunni Hewar, and Tawafuq, on de-Baathification was still being drafted, but added that Shia Coalition rejection of reform was weakening. He also expressed his support for the October 2 four-point agreement and his hope that it is implemented and succeeds. END SUMMARY -------------- AMBASSADOR PRESSES FOR TIMELINE -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador told CoR Speaker Dr. Mahmoud Mashhadani October 3 that the Policy Committee on National Security (PCNS) should review the timelines for dealing with the tough issues (e.g., de-Baathification, amnesty, hydrocarbons, etc.) that evening and publicly announce the agreement and the members' commitment to the timelines. The Ambassador stressed the importance of resolving the hydrocarbons law, federalism, and de-Baathification soon. The Speaker said he would gauge the other members' interests in a "package deal" and in holding a summit to reach a national compact on these issues. (NOTE: Subsequent meetings October 4 with Vice President Hashimi and Prime Minister Maliki, Ambassador learned that the timeline discussion did not take place at the October 3 PCNS. END NOTE.) -------------- -------------- UPDATE ON REGION FORMATION AND DE-BAATHIFICATION LAWS -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) The Speaker informed the Ambassador that the second reading of the region formation law would occur the same day. Mashhadani added that if there is no broad agreement on the law, it would fail through voting. The Ambassador encouraged him to work for a broad agreement that has buy-in from more parties than just SCIRI and the Kurdish Alliance. The Speaker assessed that other Shiite coalition members are still afraid of SCIRI. He predicted that if a secret vote were held on the region formation law, it would fail. He added that Kurdish President Massoud Barzani (and the position of the Kurdish Alliance) is the key to a compromise. The Speaker agreed with the assessment that a compromise proposal for a two-region state (Kurdistan and an Arab region) would shorten the process and be practical. ¶4. (C) On de-Baathification, the Speaker told the Ambassador that Iraqiyya, Tawafuq, and Hewar were still discussing a draft law. He said the de-Baathification issue is being used a political card, but added that Shia rejection to reform has weakened. He stated that decisions on de-Baathification need to be left to the judiciary. -------------- MASHHADANI SUPPORTS PM'S FOUR-POINT PLAN -------------- ¶5. (C) The Speaker expressed his support for the October 2 four-point agreement (reftel) and his hope that it is implemented and succeeds. He added that Sunni leaders had been pushing for such an agreement. The Speaker also remarked that the recent MNF-I operations in Hurriya in the Kadhimiyah district of Baghdad had made the situation "semi-calm." He added that, if the calm continues, it would be very positive development. He acknowledged that MNF-I is a positive factor for security, and that there would be no control on the violence without them. He added that if Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) cannot stop the arming of Jaysh al-Mahdi, then MNF-I will need to be present to deal with it. -------------- --- SHIAS AND SUNNIS COMING TO TERMS WITH EACH OTHER -------------- --- ¶6. (C) Mashhadani agreed with the assessment that the Shia BAGHDAD 00003728 002 OF 002 were coming to accept the fact that they cannot rid themselves of the Sunni, and vice-versa. As for the relationship between the Sunni Arab political blocs and the Sadrists, he stated that the situation on the ground was not helping (i.e., militia violence) but that there was political harmony (NOTE: They have shared the mutual goal of trying to stop the SCIRI version of the region formation law from being enacted. END NOTE). KHALILZAD