AMBASSADOR MEETS VP HASHIMI, TAWAFUQ LEADERS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001185

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS VP HASHIMI, TAWAFUQ LEADERS,
CALLS FOR ENGAGEMENT AND PATIENCE WITH GOI


Classified By: Ambassador Ryan Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Ambassador Crocker paid an introductory call
on VP Hashimi April 1; Tawafuq bloc leader Adnan Dulaimi,
Tawafuq ministers, and CoR members were in attendance. The
VP said he was eager to work together on the challenges
facing Iraq, and cited reform of security institutions as the
key to stopping the violence. While he hoped the BSP would
succeed, the VP said there were concerns over reports of
human rights violations and sectarian behavior among lower
ranking officers in its implementation. The VP called for
U.S. intervention to achieve sectarian balance in the GOI and
increased coordination and power sharing in decision making.
The Ambassador affirmed USG support for the Tawafuq bloc's
efforts to make the national unity government work - despite
the many personal losses that Hashimi and his colleagues had
incurred. The Ambassador urged Hashimi to continue engaging
on the issues he raised, and emphasized that all sides had a
shared responsibility to improve the security situation.
Given how complex and intertwined the political and security
issues were, the Ambassador opined, Hashimi and Tawafuq must
exercise strategic patience in pushing for change. End
Summary.

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TAWAFUQ BLOC GATHERS TO GREET NEW AMBASSADOR
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2. Iraqi Vice President and IIP Secretary General Hashimi
invited a group of twenty Tawafuq figures such as bloc leader
Adnan Dulaimi, Sunni Arab CoR members, advisors, and Tawafuq
GOI Ministers to meet Ambassador Crocker. While the official
host of the meeting was Tariq Al-Hashimi, the elderly Adnan
Dulaimi, considered the symbol of Tawafuq, sat at Hashimi's
side, and freely interjected as Hashimi and the Ambassador
conducted the meeting. The Ambassador relayed the US
President's continued support for efforts of the national
unity government and for Tawafuq's active participation. The
Ambassador said that the work of Hashimi and Tawafuq in
support of the political process - in the face of
considerable personal sacrifices - was acknowledged and
appreciated by the U.S.

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HASHIMI SEEKS COOPERATION, HIGHLIGHTS CONCERNS
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3. (C) The VP expressed his desire to work in partnership
with the new Ambassador on achieving shared goals - on the
top of the list was improving the security situation. He
said that while he hoped the BSP would succeed, he was
increasingly concerned over reports of human rights
violations during ISF searches and arrests and verbal
sectarian baiting by lower ranking officers. He added that
the unresolved status of thousands of detainees in MoI and
MNF-I custody was a major irritant to the public and an
obstacle to achieving Sunni buy-in to the BSP. To emphasize
this point, Adnan Dulaimi subsequently presented the
Ambassador with a list of detainees in MNF-I custody and a
request for their release to Dulaimi's guardianship.


4. (C) The VP called for increased coordination and power
sharing and decision making in the BSP, highlighting that it
was being designed and executed by predominantly Shia
officers. Hashimi said that the lack of power sharing and
coordination was plaguing all the GOI ministries, and
especially the PM's office. The PM's close hold on decision
making was contrary to the agreements made during government
formation negotiations and was affecting the ability of Sunni
Arabs to play a meaningful role in the government. The delay
in constitutional review - which was intended to fix the
institutional inequities and the PM's "overstepping" his
authorities was exacerbating the situation, Hashimi argued.
(Note: Hashimi was referring to the PM's summary termination
of Sunni Endowment Chair Abdulghafour Sammraie's employment,
which under the constitution falls in the purview of the
Presidency. End note.)


5. (C) The Ambassador said that security was a shared
responsibility; he noted the positive role that Hashimi and
the IIP had played in support of the BSP thus far, and
encouraged him to continue engaging on the important issues
he had raised. The Ambassador agreed that a stable security
situation was the foundation for a functioning democracy; he
expressed a desire for strong partnership with Hashimi and
Tawafuq in addressing shared concerns. The Ambassador called
for strategic patience as Hashimi and Tawafuq engaged their
partners in the GOI on these important issues.
CROCKER