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.

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PM Ready to Work with Hashimi, IIP
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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.

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PM Talks Cooperation, lack of Authority
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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.

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Hashimi and PM Must Improve Relations
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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

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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.

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A Reserve for Baghdad Security
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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