SCIRI LEADER RAISES SECURITY CONCERNS WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003730

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS IZ
SUBJECT: SCIRI LEADER RAISES SECURITY CONCERNS WITH
AMBASSADOR; ACCEPTS INVITATION TO VISIT U.S.


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


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph
seven.


2. (C) SUMMARY: SCIRI leader Abdel Aziz al-Hakim agreed
with the Ambassador on the need to move forward and bring
closure on key outstanding issues such as federalism, oil,
constitutional review, and militias. Al-Hakim noted that the
Council of Ministers, COUNCIL of Representatives (CoR),and
particularly the Policy COUNCIL on NATIONAL Security,
provided adequate mechanisms to address these issues. But he
stressed that SECURITY was the most pressing issue and raised
several particular concerns with the Ambassador. Thanking
the Ambassador for extending an invitation to visit the US
after the November 7 elections, al-Hakim said he would make a
visit and asked his STAFF to look into possible dates. He
also welcomed the opportunity to develop a more sustained and
strategic dialogue between SCIRI and the US. END SUMMARY.

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Political Process Advancing; SECURITY the Major Concern
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3. (C) The Ambassador told al-Hakim, the leader of one
Iraq's key Shi'a political parties, in an October 2 meeting
that it was vital to move forward on the key issues facing
Iraq, including federalism, oil, constitutional review,
militias, de-Baathification, the elections commission, and
provincial elections. If Iraqi leaders produced a timeline
for addressing these issues, the Ambassador continued, it
would help the US public see commitment and progress.
Al-Hakim replied that the COUNCIL of Ministers, COUNCIL of
Representatives (CoR),and particularly the Policy COUNCIL on
National Security, provided adequate mechanisms to address
these issues. He noted that the constitution also has
clauses that outline procedures and timelines for addressing
most of the issues. Taking the issue of federalism as an
example, al-Hakim observed that the constitution mandated a
law on regions formation by October 22. "But there is no
need to implement the law right away," he hastened to add,
"and it cannot be implemented without understanding the
position of the United States and other important states."
Al-Hakim lamented that his opponents were trying to "distort
the issue by claiming that we want to break up Iraq," when in
fact the principle of federalism was written into the
constitution.


4. (C) Al-Hakim named SECURITY as the most pressing issue
facing Iraqis. He said that there had been a good meeting on
October 1 with the Prime Minister to discuss SECURITY that
resulted in an agreement to form a committee, but "we need
more than committees." (NOTE: Al-Hakim was apparently
referring to discussions that led to the issuance on October
2 of a four-point agreement on ending violence (septel). END
NOTE.) Al-Hakim expressed concern about the SECURITY of the
International Zone (IZ) after the recent arrest of a member
of a CoR member's SECURITY detail. He also noted that when
U.S. forces declared a place "stable" it caused terrorists to
target it. The Ambassador shared his assessment that
Al-Qaida in Iraq was under pressure thanks to better
intelligence and opposition from the tribes.


5. (C) Turning to militias, the Ambassador said that the
Prime Minister was working on a plan in conjunction with the
coalition to dissolve and reintegrate militias and suggested
that Badr Corps members covered under a separate agreement
could be part of this plan (see septel on conversation
between Badr leader Hadi Al-Amri and PolCouns). Al-Hakim
said that including these Badr members in a new plan was "not
correct" and "would complicate matters." The Ambassador
noted that there were reports that some Badr members were
participating in death squads, allegations that al-Hakim
firmly denied.

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Visiting the U.S. and Building a Strategic Dialogue
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6. (C) The Ambassador then invited al-Hakim to visit the US
after the November 7 elections, offering to help al-Hakim and
his STAFF to develop a full program beyond official meetings
with senior USG officials. Al-Hakim thanked the Ambassador,
said he would like to make a visit, and directed his STAFF to
look into possible dates. The Ambassador also said that the
Embassy hoped to open a strategic dialogue on long-term
issues with SCIRI, noting that he had previewed this idea
with Vice President Adel Abdel Mehdi. Al-Hakim welcomed the
opportunity and designated Abdel Mehdi as the point of

BAGHDAD 00003730 002 OF 002


contact on the SCIRI side.


7. (SBU) Action request: Please provide post with proposed
dates for an al-Hakim visit to Washington and a notional
sketch of what the visit might look like.
KHALILZAD