IRAQI PM AND AMBASSADOR DISCUSS CONTROVERSIAL

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 004241 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KJUS IZ SUBJECT: IRAQI PM AND AMBASSADOR DISCUSS CONTROVERSIAL CONFERENCE FOR IRAQ,S SUNNIS REF: A. BAGHDAD 04111 ¶B. ANKARA 06372 ¶C. BURGER-BLAHA TELCON (NOV 10) ¶D. 05 DOHA 324 ¶E. 05 DOHA 337 Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) SUMMARY: Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki raised with the Ambassador concerns about a planned conference for Iraqi Sunnis hosted by Qatar-based NGO Global Anti-Aggression Campaign scheduled to occur in Turkey November 15-16. The PM expressed concern that Conference organizers consider both Shi'a and Coalition Forces "occupiers" in Iraq and said that if the conference went forward he might reconsider his planned November 16 trip to Turkey (ref A). Sunni VP Tariq Al-Hashimi and other Iraqi Sunni leaders confirmed the planned conference without indicating its sectarian agenda. Ambassador informed PM Maliki November 11 that according to Embassy Ankara, the conference is "postponed indefinitely" (ref C). END SUMMARY. -------------- PRESS REPORTS MENTION A CONFERENCE -------------- ¶2. (S) The PM told the Ambassador November 4 of a media report that Turkey would host a conference for Iraqi Sunnis, including members of the Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP) and Sunni groups who do not support the GOI. The Sunnis who would attend this conference, the PM stated, are the ones who support the notion that Iraq is currently occupied by two forces: MNF-I and the Shi'a. The PM expressed deep concern and said that if Turkey hosts this conference he might cancel a planned trip to Turkey on November 16. He asked the Ambassador to verify whether the conference would occur. -------------- THE VICE PRESIDENT CONFIRMS THE CONFERENCE -------------- ¶3. (S) The Ambassador raised the conference with Sunni Vice President Tariq Al-Hashimi on November 5. Al-Hashimi characterized the conference as an international gathering of Sunnis in Istanbul sponsored by a Qatari NGO, the "Global Anti-Aggression Campaign." (Note: According to Embassy Doha, Dr. Abdel Rahman bin Omair al-Noaimi heads the Global Anti-Aggression Campaign. Refs D and E document a similar conference hosted by this NGO in 2005. End Note.) The theme of the conference will be "Sunnis Standing Together to Resist Oppression". Several IIP party officials were slated to give lectures highlighting the negative effects that sectarian violence was having on the Sunni community in Iraq. Al-Hashimi said he planned to meet with officials from this NGO during his November 6-16 trip to Qatar. ¶4. (S) Iraqi Council of Representatives (CoR) member Ala'a Makki (IIP) sent a letter to the Ambassador November 6 explaining that the conference intended "to highlight and document the tragedy of the Sunni community in Iraq." The conference, Makki's letter states, is "not official" and IIP participation "comes in support of the political process" in Iraq. Makki included a conference program which outlined topics to be discussed: - An update on events in Iraq over the past two years (focusing on the Sunni experience) - Iraq's suffering under two occupations - Territorial interferences and their dangerous intentions - Human rights and rising oppression - Role of media in helping the Sunni community in Iraq - The future of Iraq's Sunni community and how this impacts the region. ¶5. (S) In a November 10 phone call, Embassy Ankara informed Deputy PolCouns that the conference has been "postponed indefinitely." The Ambassador conveyed this message to the PM in a November 11 meeting. Embassy Baghdad greatly appreciates Embassy Ankara's efforts. We appreciate Embassy Doha's efforts to look into the "Global Anti-Aggression Campaign" and its organizer. Speckhard