TALABANI DISCUSSES LEADERSHIP MEETING, IRAN TALKS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002657 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL IR IZ SUBJECT: TALABANI DISCUSSES LEADERSHIP MEETING, IRAN TALKS, IRAQIYYA WITHDRAWAL, BARZANI INTRACTIBILITY Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Talabani told the Ambassador August 6 that he, Prime Minister Maliki, and Vice President Mehdi had a frank discussion on the current political crisis. He also spoke separately with Vice President Hashimi. Talabani said he had spoken to the Iranians who were still very positive and had agreed to fight the Sadrist Jaysh al-Mahdi militia. He noted Iraqiyya's withdrawal from the Council of Ministers and condemned Allawi's actions. He also stated that Kurdistan Regional Government President Masood Barzani would come to Baghdad soon prepared to discuss contentious issues such as Article 140 but would not change his position. During the meeting Talabani also spoke to Chief Justice Medhat by telephone about the poor performance of the Minister of Interior in relation to detainee investigators. END SUMMARY. Prospects for Compromise -------------- ¶2. (C) Talabani told the Ambassador that he had a very frank discussion with Prime Minister Maliki and Vice President Mehdi. He said that he asked the PM where he thought this crisis would lead. He warned the PM that if he continued on his current path he would lose everything. He noted that the PM refused to call Hashimi, but agreed to meet if Talabani called them together. Talabani stated that he also talked to Hashimi and asked him to show understanding. In the end they decided to sit down and figure out which demands they can meet, which they will have to compromise on, and which are impossible, he said. ¶3. C) The Ambassador emphasized that moving ahead will require compromise from all sides. He urged Talabani and Vice President Mehdi to speak with Hashimi upon Hashimi's return from Jordan to set the stage for a productive leadership meeting. Talabani noted the fractious nature of Tawafuq - Khalaf Ulayan and Adnan Dulaymi were against agreement and were being pushed in this direction by Syria. He thought some of their demands would have to be met before they could be convinced, and he urged the Ambassador to help meet their demands. He offered to call Jordan's King Abdullah II who would see Hashimi in Jordan this week in order to urge him to weigh in with Hashimi on these issues. Asked about a potential cabinet reshuffle, Talabani said it would not happen until they resolved the dispute with Tawafuq. Iranians -------------- ¶4. (C) Talabani said he saw the Iranian delegation on August 5 and would see them again later that evening. He noted that the delegation included former IRGC commander Muhammad Jafari. He said the Iranians expressed readiness to cooperate and agreed to fight the Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM) militia. They claimed that they could rid the country of Al Qaeda in two months. Talabani thought they were reluctant to return to Tehran empty-handed. The Ambassador noted that his talks with the Iranians were not fruitful - Iranian Ambassador Qomi accused the U.S. of working with Al Qaeda and the Ba'athists. They want to create the appearance of cooperating without cooperating, he said. Iraqiyya's Withdrawal from CoM -------------- ¶5. (C) Talabani offered that Allawi was happy with Tawafuq's withdrawal from the Council of Ministers (CoM). He attributed Allawi's timing to pressure from Arab states who urged Allawi to follow through on his threats to stop participation. Water Minister Latif Rashid said the only Iraqiyya minister to attend the CoM meeting was Minister of Science and Technology Rahid Fahmi. Talabani said the Communications Minister told the PM they would not attend CoM meetings. The PM rejected this, saying they should resign or attend meetings - no half measures. Rashid thought the Communications minister would remain in the CoM but the female Iraqiyya minister would probably leave (Note: Iraqiyya's only female minister is Minister of Human Rights Wijdan Salim. End Note). Talabani expressed disgust with Allawi's actions and frequent untruthfulness, saying that Allawi had previously promised that he would remain in the government. According to Talabani, Allawi promised Barzani that he would come to Baghdad if they agreed to protect him from Iranian assassination attempts. Talabani also noted that 12 Iraqiyya members in the CoR were forming a new bloc. Barzani Not Flexible on Article 140 -------------- BAGHDAD 00002657 002 OF 002 ¶6. (C) Talabani noted that Barzani had delayed his travel to Baghdad until the Prime Minister returned from abroad. Asked if he thought Barzani would come prepared to discuss all important issues including Constitutional Article 140, Talabani stated that Barzani was prepared to discuss it but he would not change his position on Article 140. Conversation with Chief Justice Medhat -------------- ¶7. (C) During the meeting Talabani spoke to Chief Justice Medhat by telephone. He thanked Medhat for his efforts in dealing with the detainees issue and expressed frustration that the Minister of Interior was taking a "stupid position" in not meeting Medhat's needs for investigators. He said the MOI promised days ago that he would send 85 and then 27, which was not enough. Today he sent a letter saying he could provide only 12 in six days. Talabani told Medhat that he had not previously supported calls for the MOI's replacement, but now he was reconsidering. CROCKER