Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAGHDAD550
2006-02-21 19:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
DEPUTY TNA SPEAKER SPECULATES ON FUTURE
how-toVZCZCXRO4147 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS DE RUEHGB #0550 0521918 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 211918Z FEB 06 FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2831 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000550
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/21/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV PNAT IZ
SUBJECT: DEPUTY TNA SPEAKER SPECULATES ON FUTURE
PARLIAMENTARY LEADERSHIP AND REFORMS
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT S. FORD, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B)
AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000550
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/21/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV PNAT IZ
SUBJECT: DEPUTY TNA SPEAKER SPECULATES ON FUTURE
PARLIAMENTARY LEADERSHIP AND REFORMS
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT S. FORD, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B)
AND (D).
1. (C) In a February 16 meeting with Poloff, Deputy TNA
Speaker Arif Taifour discussed the transition from the
Transitional National Assembly to the Council of
Representatives (CoR). He speculated that he or Fu'ad
Ma'asum (leader of the Kurdish Alliance delegation in the
TNA) would be a Deputy Speaker of the CoR. He added that
Ma'asum would likely not accept the position since he had
been Speaker of the Iraqi Interim National Council (IINC).
He also thought Hussein al-Shahristani would remain as the
other Deputy Speaker. As for the next speaker, he
acknowledged that it would likely be a Sunni Arab and said he
had heard Tariq al-Hashimi and Ayad al-Sammarai mentioned as
possible candidates.
2. (C) Taifour agreed with the assessment that the Council of
Representatives likely will have more responsibility under
the new constitution than the TNA had under the Transitional
Administrative Law (TAL). He expressed the hope that power
within the CoR would be decentralized, with a formal division
of labor so the Deputy Speakers could have more specific
responsibilities and authorities than they had in the TNA.
(Comment. In the TNA, the Speaker had much more control over
the budget, staffing and day-to-day activities of the
assembly. End Comment). He also said there needed to be
more financial transparency of the TNA's own budget, with
less centralized control in the Speaker's Office. He
acknowledged the importance of having active committees and
of having CoR members attend sessions regularly.
3. (C) Comment. Taifour's comments were an indirect, but not
very subtle, criticism of the management style of the TNA
Speaker Hajim al-Hasani. The TNA Speaker's office exercised
control over the TNA's administration and budget, but the
Speaker himself was frequently absent. It is unclear whether
the parties will fight for the aforementioned CoR reforms
when new by-laws are adopted. End Comment.
KHALILZAD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/21/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV PNAT IZ
SUBJECT: DEPUTY TNA SPEAKER SPECULATES ON FUTURE
PARLIAMENTARY LEADERSHIP AND REFORMS
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT S. FORD, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B)
AND (D).
1. (C) In a February 16 meeting with Poloff, Deputy TNA
Speaker Arif Taifour discussed the transition from the
Transitional National Assembly to the Council of
Representatives (CoR). He speculated that he or Fu'ad
Ma'asum (leader of the Kurdish Alliance delegation in the
TNA) would be a Deputy Speaker of the CoR. He added that
Ma'asum would likely not accept the position since he had
been Speaker of the Iraqi Interim National Council (IINC).
He also thought Hussein al-Shahristani would remain as the
other Deputy Speaker. As for the next speaker, he
acknowledged that it would likely be a Sunni Arab and said he
had heard Tariq al-Hashimi and Ayad al-Sammarai mentioned as
possible candidates.
2. (C) Taifour agreed with the assessment that the Council of
Representatives likely will have more responsibility under
the new constitution than the TNA had under the Transitional
Administrative Law (TAL). He expressed the hope that power
within the CoR would be decentralized, with a formal division
of labor so the Deputy Speakers could have more specific
responsibilities and authorities than they had in the TNA.
(Comment. In the TNA, the Speaker had much more control over
the budget, staffing and day-to-day activities of the
assembly. End Comment). He also said there needed to be
more financial transparency of the TNA's own budget, with
less centralized control in the Speaker's Office. He
acknowledged the importance of having active committees and
of having CoR members attend sessions regularly.
3. (C) Comment. Taifour's comments were an indirect, but not
very subtle, criticism of the management style of the TNA
Speaker Hajim al-Hasani. The TNA Speaker's office exercised
control over the TNA's administration and budget, but the
Speaker himself was frequently absent. It is unclear whether
the parties will fight for the aforementioned CoR reforms
when new by-laws are adopted. End Comment.
KHALILZAD