IRAQI PM DISCUSSES EXPANDED MINISTERIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001009

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI PM DISCUSSES EXPANDED MINISTERIAL
CONFERENCE, DE-BA'ATHIFICATION

Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad per 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador on March 23, PM Nuri
al-Maliki confirmed that he wanted the expanded neighbors
ministerial conference, which would include Iraq's
neighboring countries, the G5, and the P8, to happen in
conjunction with the next International Compact for Iraq
(ICI) meeting. The Ambassador suggested a two-day schedule,
with the first day devoted to the ICI, and the second day
devoted to the expanded neighbors conference. The Ambassador
noted that the ICI is chaired by the United Nations and Iraq,
and the PM agreed that the expanded neighbors conference
should be chaired by Iraq alone. He said that Ali Dabbaugh
called him earlier in the day to tell him about a conference
occurring in Istanbul where Saudi Arabia and Turkey made
unsupportive statements about Iraq. He emphasized that he
remained deeply concerned with Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia,
and especially France and Russia, as he did not trust their
motives.


2. (C) Maliki said he had read the most recent compromise
draft on de-Ba'athification prepared by Hajim al-Hassani. He
said he had only a few relatively minor edits. The
Ambassador suggested it might be helpful to Iraq's regional
relations to announce the Presidency Council's initiative to
reach a compromise draft on de-Ba'athification before the
Arab Summit that is scheduled for March 27. Maliki thought
this would be possible with the Presidency Council sending a
bill to the Council of Representatives by that date. Later
the Ambassador arranged for the PM to host a meeting with the
key negotiators on Sunday to reach final agreement on a
draft.
KHALILZAD