COR TAKES ITS TIME GETTING BACK IN SESSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 004093 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2016 TAGS: PGOV IZ SUBJECT: COR TAKES ITS TIME GETTING BACK IN SESSION Classified By: Political Counselor Margaret Scobey for reasons 1.4 b/d ¶1. (C) On November 1 the Iraqi Council of Representatives (CoR) was unable to achieve quorum for the second time this week. CoR members cited foreign travel, vehicle restrictions in Baghdad, and problems with flights from Suleiymania as the main reasons for the significant absences. Before officially postponing the opening session until Sunday November 5 "due to the deplorable behavior of the CoR membership," CoR Speaker Mashadani railed at the CoR members present in the session room. He said that PM Maliki and Minister of Defense Abdulkader had come to the CoR that day to give a briefing on the security situation at the CoR Presidency Council's invitation and left after waiting two hours to see if quorum would be achieved. (Note: CoR was last in session on October 11. Members failed to reach a quorum October 12 and broke for Ramadan recess planned from October 13 through October 30. If CoR achieves quorum November 5, it will mark the first session for three and a half weeks. End note.) KHALILZAD