FM RELAYS MALIKI'S APPREHENSION OF THE NEIGHBOR'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001163 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ SUBJECT: FM RELAYS MALIKI'S APPREHENSION OF THE NEIGHBOR'S CONFERENCE AND FUNDING FOR REFUGEES Classified By: Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Daniel Speckhard f or reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Prime Minister Maliki's deep suspicions of the Neighbor's Conference are preventing the selection of venue, stated Foreign Minister Zebari in an April 1 meeting with the DCM. Maliki favors KUWAIT over or Istanbul. Zebari noted, however, that the Prime Minister is comfortable with the upcoming International Compact for Iraq conference to take place in Istanbul. Zebari relayed Maliki's lack of support for refugees altogether, although it was not clear if that includes IDPs as well. End Summary. -------------- CAIRO, ISTANBUL, OR KUWAIT -------------- ¶2. (C) Foreign Minister Zebari confirmed competing offers to host the neighbor's conference in Cairo, Istanbul, and Kuwait. Zebari said President Mubarak personally relayed the offer to host it in Cairo. DCM relayed the Turkish government's offer to host in Istanbul and the GOT's assurance to Embassy Ankara that "they are willing to do whatever it takes for Iraq to feel comfortable with Istanbul as a location." ¶3. (C) However, the Prime Minister has decided to defer decision on the venue for the neighbor's conference and instead consult with his policy council for national security (PCNS),stated Foreign Minister Zebari. The Prime Minister is nervous the conference will help fuel "an international conspiracy to topple his government," continued Zebari. The PM feels that Egypt and other Arab countries have agendas to undermine the Maliki government. ¶4. (C) Zebari noted that President Talabani would prefer to have the conference hosted in Iraq, perhaps in the North, but was dissuaded after Zebari explained to him the logistical and capacity constraints. Zebari added that the Iranians also preferred Iraq as a location, a result of the Najaf instructions. ¶5. (C) Zebari asserted that the Prime Minister's advisors, including Tarik Abdullah and Saadiq Al-Rikabi, were suspicious of other countries' agendas for the conference, and were feeding the Prime Minister's concerns. -------------- INTERNATIONAL COMPACT FOR IRAQ -------------- ¶6. (C) The Prime Minister is much more comfortable with the International Compact for Iraq, stated Zebari. It would be better not to mix the ICI with the Neighbor's Conference, opined Zebari, since the former focuses on economic reconstruction and includes a broad audience, while the latter is a narrowly tailored regional security meeting. DCM pointed out that combining the two conferences might allay some of the PM's apprehension, but Zebari felt this would not sway the PM. -------------- DISMISSAL OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS -------------- ¶7. (C) Zebari recounted that he met with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) during his recent visit. Zebari presented to the UNHCR a proposal to demonstrate the Government of Iraq's concern for internally displaced persons (IDPs),which would include food distribution, health care access, and identity documentation. Later, when Zebari presented the same proposal to the Prime Minister, Maliki dismissed the program generally, saying he would not permit Zebari to commit GOI funding to refugees. Zebari explained that he believes Maliki is convinced all refugees are Ba'athists (Note: It was not clear if the PM's sentiment applied to IDPs as well. End Note). CROCKER