KURDISH PUK RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR REFORM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002455

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2017
TAGS: PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: KURDISH PUK RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR REFORM

REF: A. BAGHDAD 002334

B. BAGHDAD 001580

Classified By: Political Counselor Robert Ford for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: According to a close member of Iraqi
President Talabani's
staff, Talabani and his deputy Kosrat Rasoul are committed to
reforming the
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and are taking steps to
ensure that this
process is well underway before the next party congress. The
staffer also
commented on Talabani's delicate health. We sense a
recognition among senior
PUK officials of the need for reform, but we do not expect
giant strides
towards major reform. END SUMMARY.

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Talabani prepared to make changes in the Politburo
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2. (C) Aram Yarwaessi (strictly protect),a member of
President and PUK leader
Jalal Talabani's personal staff known as the secretariat,
told Poloff that
Talabani and PUK deputy secretary general Kosrat Rasoul are
interested in
altering the composition of the PUK politburo to better
reflect political
realities in Sulaymaniyah, though he stopped short of
suggesting a radical
facelift was in store. Talabani is cognizant of discontent
within the KRG over
the lack of services and corruption, as well as the
disenchantment of Kurdish
youth, he said. He said one of the reasons Talabani had
returned early from
his trip to the U.S. in late May-early June is that he needed
to address the
problems in the party and prepare for the upcoming party
congress (the
conference date is still uncertain, some contacts have said
October or November
2007, others January 2008). He said the PUK Politburo came
to Baghdad shortly
before Talabani left for China in June so that Talabani could
give each of them
an assignment in preparation for the congress. Each member
now has
responsibilities including scheduling conferences;
establishing committees; and
holding meetings to discuss reforms, recruitment, and how to
advance the
party's interests.


3. (C) Both Talabani and Rasoul indicated to Yarwaessi that
he was under
consideration to fill a slot on the politburo that they
planned to designate to
a younger party member. If it happens, this would be a
concession to the
younger generation - showing them that there is a future for
them in the party
and that their views are valued. Younger party members and
potential recruits
have been concerned about the ability to advance in the party
and have felt
their views neglected. Yarwaessi said he had been selected
to head what he
called the largest youth organization in Kurdistan and was
considering taking
some time away from his duties with Talabani to pursue this.
He suggested that
that this move would serve two purposes: helping the PUK
reach out to the youth
and providing him with a base of support and credibility in
the eyes of the old
guard PUK.

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Rasoul Gets It Too
--------------


4. (C) Yarwaessi said he and Rasoul discussed several issues
on the plane to
the Mayo Clinic, including how to combat the growing drug
problem in the
Kurdistan region and how to pull in the youth to the party.
Rasoul displayed a
frank recognition of the problems facing the PUK and

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emphasized the PUK
leadership's commitment to reform.

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Talabani's Health
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5. (C) Yarwaessi claimed that the injections Talabani
received for his knees
had greatly decreased his pain and increased his mobility.
According to
Yarwaessi, Talabani would have to repeat the injections every
six months. He
admitted that Talabani's health remained delicate, noting
that he had "the flu"
at Embassy's July 4 reception and is often tired.


6. (C) Comment: Other contacts (ref A) as well as press
reporting have
corroborated some reform efforts. At the same time, the two
major Kurdish
parties (PUK and KDP) are taking steps to preserve their
power, including
agreeing to cooperate in the next elections and forming a
strategic alliance in
the face of public dissatisfaction and rising Islamist
sentiment. Thus, we do
not expect giant strides towards reform of the PUK or the KRG
government.


CROCKER