AMBASSADOR HOSTS FRANK RXCHANGE BETWEEN IRAQI

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004392 SIPDIS SIPDIS SES-O PLEASE PASS TO SECRETARY,S TRAVELING PARTY E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR HOSTS FRANK RXCHANGE BETWEEN IRAQI PRIME MINISTER AND VP REF: BAGHDAD 004361 Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) SUMMARY: Iraqi Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Sunni Vice-President Tariq al-Hashimi had a frank exchange on differences and prospects for cooperation in a meeting with the Ambassador on November 27. Maliki also discussed dealing with national level problems and his lack of authority. Others present included President Jalal Talabani, Vice-President Adil Abd al-Mahdi, Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih, and Kurdistan Regional Government President Masud Barzani. Prior to Maliki's arrival at the meeting, the participants discussed the Maliki-Hashimi personality clash and prospects for solving Baghdad's security crisis. END SUMMARY. -------------- PM Ready to Work with Hashimi, IIP -------------- ¶2. (S) Vice-President Hashimi told Prime Minister Maliki at the beginning of their exchange that his Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP) has supported the PM during the last few months. He said he understands that Maliki needs time to make a difference, but he also must take responsibility. Hashimi told Maliki that the IIP is ready to participate and assume some responsibility, but he questioned Maliki's willingness to partner with Sunni Tawafuq bloc and the IIP and treat them like he treats his own bloc, the Shiite Unified Iraqi Coalition (UIC). ¶3. (S) The PM responded that he is ready to engage with the Sunnis and asked how he can prove his sincerity. He said he feels that the IIP is the right Sunni partner. Others, like the Sunni National Dialogue Council's Khalaf Ulayan, are not partners. At the same time, he told Hashimi, your demands that do not relate to what benefits the country, and you have people and foreign powers that direct them. Granted, we have those also, but you defend the Tawafuq members that commit violent acts. We cannot give up on the IIP, but you are paying the price of the extremists in Tawafuq. ¶4. (S) Maliki and Hashimi argued about Hashimi's alleged support for the extremist elements of his Sunni coalition. Hashimi said Tawafuq lacks by-laws, coordination, and harmony, and this creates a leadership vacuum. Maliki said he understands that Hashimi does not have control of his party, but said he personally is trustworthy and they are on the same page. He said we have to work to restore confidence and marginalize the extremists in all parties. VP al-Mahdi closed the meeting by saying that they are all prisoners their own fronts, but they have to solve this crisis of decision-making by forming a true kitchen cabinet where decisions are made. -------------- PM Talks Cooperation, lack of Authority -------------- ¶5. (S) Maliki told the Ambassador that the way forward should not involve an imposition of wills, but instead, a political agreement among moderate parties. He conceded everyone has their own vision and no one has all the facts. He said we must face higher national problems as a team in a frank and transparent manner, but we have been hindered by foreign pressure and our constituents. Maliki complained that although works on a national level, the people that come to him with requests have their own interests in mind. The PM declared that he said he is working for Iraq. He said he did not seek the PM job, does not want it now and is ready to quit, but will sacrifice himself for Iraq. ¶6. (S) Maliki claimed he deals with everyone equally, but lacks the constitutional power and authority to solve Iraq's problems. He asked rhetorically why the public blames him instead of the U.S. for the security situation. He pointed out that he needs support from the political parties, he said have been lax in providing important services such as helping people make the Hajj. -------------- Hashimi and PM Must Improve Relations -------------- ¶7. (S) Prior to Maliki's arrival the group agreed the most important goal for this meeting was improving relations between Maliki and Hashimi. Mahdi told Hashimi that their BAGHDAD 00004392 002 OF 002 problems are really just a personality clash. He said they need to look at their own actions and reiterated on a theme of previous meetings: that Hashimi cannot defend his constituents and expect people to respect him. Mahdi added that they need to make the distinction between personal problems and problems of governance. On governance problems we have to offer support to the Prime Minister. Hashimi responded that he has been cut out of the decision-making process, and wondered what kind of guarantees he has that the Prime Minister will begin working for all of Iraq. ¶8. (S) Mahdi said Maliki has taken some positive measures such as his national reconciliation initiative and his position to disbanding militias. We have positive things to build on, he said, and we just need to help the PM with the decision-making and lack of confidence. We need to be supportive of him and not put him in a corner. Everyone here understands pressure from constituents and party. We have to help him overcome obstacles, identify achievements and be positive. Hashimi said the IIP position has always been positive, but we have sacrificed a lot for this government and the future of Iraq and are disappointed by the results. Mahdi said he too was disappointed, but he pointed out the need to sit down and talk to everyone, including regional players. That, he explained, was why he went to Tehran. ¶9. (S) Talabani said the reality is that we will not like everyone in each other's coalition but we must work together with the moderate elements of each. The IIP has been responsible and shown positive results but is getting dragged down by the irresponsible Tawafuq members. We need to give Hashimi something to take to his constituents, especially after comments by hardlinw Sunnni cleric Harith al-Dari. Barzani said each group has extremist elements. These elements seem to be in control of the Sunni and Shia coalitions, but the moderates represent the majority. Our moderate front must face these extremists by supporting Hashimi and the moderate Shia, he said. -------------- A Reserve for Baghdad Security -------------- ¶10. (S) Prior to Maliki's arrival the group spoke about the Baghdad security crisis. Barham Salih called for a massive infusion of forces to secure Baghdad. Bringing in the peshmerga alone will only make trouble (NOTE: Barzani and Talabani have previously said that, if asked, they could send 30,000 peshmerga to Baghdad - reftel). Talabani said the peshmerga could be sent to some of the Sunni neighborhoods in cooperation with the Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP),but they will have to coordinate with the residents and the Coalition. ¶11. (S) Talabani said they have decided to have a special PCNS on Baghdad security. He said they need a national guard equipped to work with locals that includes ex-Iraqi Army (IA) personnel. Talabani, Hashimi, Mahdi and Salih agreed that the IA lacks leadership. Hashimi suggested reinstating old IA commanders and giving them a two-month orientation class to get them up to speed. There seemed to be general agreement on this. Mahdi said most Iraqis have military training. He suggested creating a reserve force divided among the various sections of the country that can support the army and protect neighborhoods. KHALILZAD