BASRAH GOVERNOR SAYS UK REPRESENTATIVE BOYCOTT NOT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000552 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL IZ SUBJECT: BASRAH GOVERNOR SAYS UK REPRESENTATIVE BOYCOTT NOT HIS IDEA Classified By: AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a February 19 meeting with the Ambassador, Basrah Governor Mohammed Mossibh al-Wahili and Fadhila Party General Secretary Nadeem al-Jabiri said they do not favor the Basrah Provincial Council's (PC) boycott of UK representatives. The Governor said that he was in Italy for ten days and that the PC decided on the boycott in his absence. Al-Wahili added that he would like to work closely with the UK but fears the UK does not want to work for the best interests of Basrah. The Governor denied responsibility for police brutality and corruption in Basrah, saying that he is working to clean things up. It is important that the Basrah government succeed in these efforts, al-Jabiri said, because many forces are working to take control of the provincial government. According to Al-Jabiri, this cannot be allowed to happen because other parties do not want what is best for the province. Al-Jabiri added that he thinks a coalition of Kurds, the Allawi camp, and Tawafuk may come together to nominate a candidate to be Prime Minister. END SUMMARY. -------------- --- Governor Disavows Boycott, Wants to Work With UK -------------- --- ¶2. (C) Basrah Governor Mohammed Mossibh al-Wahili and Fadhila Party General Secretary Nadeem al-Jabiri told the Ambassador that the Basrah PC's boycott of UK representatives does not have their support. Governor al-Wahili said that the PC decided on the boycott while he was in Italy. The Governor stressed that he would like to cooperate with the UK, and he agreed with the Ambassador that refusing to cooperate with the UK is not in the best interests of the people of Basrah. However, the Governor asserted that the UK does not take some issues seriously. For example, the Governor said he has spoken to the UK several times about the manner in which UK forces arrest people, including "terrorizing" people with helicopters in the middle of the night. ¶3. (C) Nadeem al-Jabiri added that the UK could do a lot to help the Basrah PC. He predicted that fear of Iran would lead London to seek a compromise with Tehran, leaving Basrah open to greater Iranian influence. Governor al-Wahili agreed, saying that he gave the UK details about Iranian agents and high-ranking Iraqi security officials smuggling rockets into Basrah. The UK, he alleged, has done nothing to stop it. He then alleged that the UK is not telling the U.S. the whole truth regarding such matters. -------------- Governor Denies Police Brutality -------------- ¶4. (C) Governor al-Wahili denied reports that he condones illegal acts committed by the Division of Internal Affairs (DIA) of the Basrah Police. The DIA was not created by him, al-Wahili said, adding that he has tried to disband the unit. According to al-Wahili, when he took office the DIA had 400 members, which he since has cut down to 40. The Governor added that he has ordered the Police Chief to dissolve the group so that its duties could be assumed by parts of the police department. -------------- Governor Denies Corruption in Basrah -------------- ¶5. (C) Governor al-Wahili told the Ambassador that he does not condone corruption in the Basrah Provincial Government, claiming that he has asked the Commission on Public Integrity to set up an office in the province. Dozens of cases will be referred to it, he predicted, adding that corruption hurts the people as well as the credibility of the government. -------------- Fadhila Under Threat -------------- ¶6. (C) Nadeem al-Jabiri asserted to the Ambassador that it is in the best interests of Iraq and CF that Fadhila retain control of Basrah Province. Al-Jabiri added that SCIRI is working with the Sadrists, Thar Allah, Hezbollah, and other groups to take control of the PC away from Fadhila. If another party takes over the Basrah Provincial government, al-Jabiri warned, there will be many problems. He elaborated that brutal measures, including assassinations, are being used in a concerted effort to knock Fadhila out of power. -------------- BAGHDAD 00000552 002 OF 002 Jabiri on Government Formation -------------- ¶7. (C) Al-Jabiri reported that a coalition of Kurds, the Allawi camp, and Tawafuk may join forces and nominate a candidate for PM. SCIRI, he said, has begun reaching out to this coalition and may join with it. However, he said the Fadhila Party has not joined it. ¶8. (C) Nadeem al-Jabiri told the Ambassador that he still considers himself to be a possible compromise candidate for PM. He argued that the Fadhila Party has good relations with many groups. In Basrah Province, Governor al-Wahili added, Fadhila enjoys good relations with the Allawi camp. Sunni Arabs, al-Wahili continued, make up 10-15 percent of the population in Basrah Province, so it is conceivable that Sunni Arabs would back Nadeem al-Jabiri for PM. The Ambassador argued, however, that the Sadrists would object to al-Jabiri becoming PM. Al-Jabiri countered that the Sadrists would object to any candidate other than Jafari. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶9. (C) COMMENT: Governor al-Wahili denied responsibility for all the problems in Basrah Province that the Ambassador raised. His explanation for the boycott of UK representatives -- that he was in Italy and the PC decided on a boycott without his knowledge -- is rather implausible. The Governor has, after all, called two boycotts of Coalition partners, in September and November 2005. Nor does his explanation correspond to what PM Jafari told the Ambassador on February 15 (septel). We suspect that this is the Governor's face-saving way of telling us he intends to end the boycott soon. END COMMENT. KHALILZAD