JAFARI HOPES TO FORM CABINET WITHIN 30 DAYS

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 000459 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2016 TAGS: PGOV KDEM IZ SUBJECT: JAFARI HOPES TO FORM CABINET WITHIN 30 DAYS Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jafari told the Ambassador in a February 13 meeting that he was humbled by his re-election by the Shia coalition and hopes to build on lessons of past mistakes. Jafari said he plans to appoint a team of negotiators to oversee the government formation process with the aim of standing up the new cabinet within 30 days. He welcomed the Ambassador's offer of help in training his staff, better organizing his office, and in developing a 100-day plan. Jafari said he plans to maintain the unity of the Shia coalition but appeared disinclined to offer a significant ministerial portfolio to his vanquished competitor, Adel Abd al-Mahdi. Jafari said Abd al-Mahdi had presided as Finance Minister at a time of major corruption in the Allawi government, which made him either complicit or incompetent. ¶2. (C) Jafari said he considers the finance and justice portfolios to be the most important in his cabinet and will aim to build a government of law, not law-makers. The constitution established Iraq's legal framework during his last term, he said, and it now remains for the next government to put that document into practice. Jafari said he considers terrorism and the Ba'athist elements that feed it to be the greatest dangers facing Iraq. He said he looks forward to a close relationship with the US because Iraq is still in a "transitional" period, even after the election of a full-term government. KHALILZAD