Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BAGHDAD2599
2007-08-05 16:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
PM POLITICAL ADVISOR COMMENTS ON TAWAFUQ, UNAMI
how-toVZCZCXRO1663 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHGB #2599 2171637 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 051637Z AUG 07 FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2636 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002599
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL UN IZ
SUBJECT: PM POLITICAL ADVISOR COMMENTS ON TAWAFUQ, UNAMI
Classified By: Classified by Political Counselor Matt Tueller for reaso
ns 1.4(b) and (d).
------------------
TAWAFUQ WITHDRAWAL
------------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002599
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL UN IZ
SUBJECT: PM POLITICAL ADVISOR COMMENTS ON TAWAFUQ, UNAMI
Classified By: Classified by Political Counselor Matt Tueller for reaso
ns 1.4(b) and (d).
--------------
TAWAFUQ WITHDRAWAL
--------------
1. (C) On August 4, Ambassador Sadiq al-Rikabi, Prime
Minister Maliki,s Political Advisor, said that Maliki had
not yet received resignation letters from any of the six
Tawafuq ministers quitting the cabinet. Once the letters
arrive, Maliki will refuse to accept them (thereby playing
for time while keeping the door open to reconciliation).
Moreover, in lieu of recruiting new ministers to fill the
Tawafuq vacancies, Maliki plans to ask some of his remaining
ministers to cover the gap by doubling up portfolios (the
idea being that such a move is easily reversible should
Tawafuq change its mind). In addition, Rikabi said that
Maliki has assured at least two of the Tawafuq ministers that
they are welcome to return to his government &at any time.8
Ambassador Sadiq advised that the U.S. needs to deliver a
clear message to the Tawafuq leadership that "the political
process must go forward, that we are not going to stop the
political process - it will not turn back." Deputy
PolCounselor assured Ambassador Sadiq that we had told
Tawafuq many times that walking away from the political
process would neither help them nor the U.S.
--------------
BORDER SECURITY WORKING GROUP
--------------
2. (C) Turning to the Border Security Working Group scheduled
to be held August 8-9 in Damascus, Ambassador Sadiq said that
"to be honest, I don't have much hope for this meeting. The
problem is not the border security, but Damascus's unhelpful
attitude." Deputy PolCounselor pressed for the GOI to
request observer status for the U.S. at the working group (NB
) We understand that Syria has since agreed to accord P-5
states observer status).
--------------
UNAMI REVISED MANDATE
--------------
3. (C) Ambassador Sadiq expressed concern that the Prime
Minister's office (PMO) was not in the loop on the draft
UNSCR to expand UNAMI,s mandate. "We have a problem with
internal communication," he admitted, explaining that the MFA
does not coordinate very well with the PMO. He said GOI
leaders had bitter memories of UNAMI's mishandling of the
first quarter human rights report and were therefore
skeptical of granting UNAMI a broader political role. He
added that "UNAMI has very clear Sunni bias." Ambassador
Sadiq re-iterated that the GOI wants neither a Muslim nor an
Arab as new SRSG, because "such an individual will never
overcome the perception of prejudice, regardless of their
personal strengths or neutrality."
CROCKER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL UN IZ
SUBJECT: PM POLITICAL ADVISOR COMMENTS ON TAWAFUQ, UNAMI
Classified By: Classified by Political Counselor Matt Tueller for reaso
ns 1.4(b) and (d).
--------------
TAWAFUQ WITHDRAWAL
--------------
1. (C) On August 4, Ambassador Sadiq al-Rikabi, Prime
Minister Maliki,s Political Advisor, said that Maliki had
not yet received resignation letters from any of the six
Tawafuq ministers quitting the cabinet. Once the letters
arrive, Maliki will refuse to accept them (thereby playing
for time while keeping the door open to reconciliation).
Moreover, in lieu of recruiting new ministers to fill the
Tawafuq vacancies, Maliki plans to ask some of his remaining
ministers to cover the gap by doubling up portfolios (the
idea being that such a move is easily reversible should
Tawafuq change its mind). In addition, Rikabi said that
Maliki has assured at least two of the Tawafuq ministers that
they are welcome to return to his government &at any time.8
Ambassador Sadiq advised that the U.S. needs to deliver a
clear message to the Tawafuq leadership that "the political
process must go forward, that we are not going to stop the
political process - it will not turn back." Deputy
PolCounselor assured Ambassador Sadiq that we had told
Tawafuq many times that walking away from the political
process would neither help them nor the U.S.
--------------
BORDER SECURITY WORKING GROUP
--------------
2. (C) Turning to the Border Security Working Group scheduled
to be held August 8-9 in Damascus, Ambassador Sadiq said that
"to be honest, I don't have much hope for this meeting. The
problem is not the border security, but Damascus's unhelpful
attitude." Deputy PolCounselor pressed for the GOI to
request observer status for the U.S. at the working group (NB
) We understand that Syria has since agreed to accord P-5
states observer status).
--------------
UNAMI REVISED MANDATE
--------------
3. (C) Ambassador Sadiq expressed concern that the Prime
Minister's office (PMO) was not in the loop on the draft
UNSCR to expand UNAMI,s mandate. "We have a problem with
internal communication," he admitted, explaining that the MFA
does not coordinate very well with the PMO. He said GOI
leaders had bitter memories of UNAMI's mishandling of the
first quarter human rights report and were therefore
skeptical of granting UNAMI a broader political role. He
added that "UNAMI has very clear Sunni bias." Ambassador
Sadiq re-iterated that the GOI wants neither a Muslim nor an
Arab as new SRSG, because "such an individual will never
overcome the perception of prejudice, regardless of their
personal strengths or neutrality."
CROCKER