PM MALIKI DISCUSSES THE COR, IRAN AND SYRIA, AND

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 000267 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ IR SA SUBJECT: PM MALIKI DISCUSSES THE COR, IRAN AND SYRIA, AND THE SADRISTS REF: BAGHDAD 00229 Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad per 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) SUMMARY: In a meeting with the Ambassador on January 23, Prime Minister Maliki said he would deliver a speech to the Council of Representatives (CoR) on January 25 encouraging the members to reduce or delay their recess. (Note: The CoR voted on January 23 to extend their sessions until February 10. End note.) He also planned to explain the broad outlines of the new Baghdad Security Plan (BSP) in his speech. In response to the Ambassador's questions about Iran and Syria, the Prime Minister said he believes Tehran and Damascus are interested in a dialogue with Washington. He added the GOI supports the United States having a political dialogue with Iran and Syria if these two states want to be helpful. Finally, Maliki said the Sadrists are cooperating, noting that they ended their boycott from the government without conditions, and said MNF-I should be cooperative with the Sadrists in return. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- Helicopter Shootings Represent Dangerous Development -------------- -------------- ¶2. (S) The Ambassador began by informing the Prime Minister of preliminary reports that an American civilian helicopter used for transporting personnel was shot down that morning, January 23, near the Ministry of Health, killing four of its passengers. The Ambassador said another helicopter used for civilian transport was shot with small arms fire this morning, resulting in the death of one of its passengers. The Prime Minister commented that hitting helicopters was a dangerous development. The Ambassador said MNF-I had not yet determined where the attackers were when they shot the helicopter near the Ministry of Health. (Note: The helicopters were provided air support to Embassy personnel attending a meeting at the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works. End note.) He said we should move quickly into the area and capture the attackers before they leave. -------------- PM Agrees to Give "Tough" Speech to CoR -------------- ¶3. (S) The Ambassador said he discussed yesterday with CoR Speaker Mashhadani the possibility of the Prime Minister delivering a speech to the CoR on January 24. Maliki replied that he intended to admonish the CoR for stopping the government's work, but the CoR leadership asked him to postpone his speech because the CoR is planning on discussing the budget on the 24th. Maliki also planned on explaining the BSP to the CoR, but his military advisers said to wait to talk about the plan until just before operations start. Maliki said he spoke with Itilaf leader Abdulaziz al-Hakim about the lack of quorum and was pleased Hakim actually came to the CoR yesterday in response. ¶4. (S) The Ambassador said that if the Prime Minister asked the CoR to reduce or delay its recess, the CoR might respond favorably. The Ambassador stressed that these are extraordinary circumstances and the Iraqi security forces are making huge sacrifices to secure Baghdad. If the CoR delayed or reduced its recess, the Ambassador continued, it would show the CoR doing its part and send a message that Iraqi leaders, not just the Prime Minister, are taking their responsibilities seriously. ¶5. (S) The Prime Minister agreed with the Ambassador. Maliki said he would deliver such a speech at Thursday's session of the CoR, saying "they will turn against me because I am going to be so tough." Maliki expressed frustration at the absentee CoR members, saying they make 20 million dinar per month (approximately US $5,000) and do not show up. He commented that if many of the members ran on their own, they would not even get 100 votes. ¶6. (S) The Ambassador suggested that the PM could explain the broad themes, rather than operational details, of the BSP to the CoR. Maliki agreed and said he would emphasize that all lawbreakers will be targeted regardless of their sect or ethnicity, there will be no safe havens for terrorists, and there will be no political intervention in the plan. -------------- Details of Talabani's Trip to Syria -------------- ¶7. (S) The Ambassador said he spoke with President Jalal Talabani about Talabani's recent trip to Syria. The Ambassador relayed that Talabani said IRGC-Quds Force Commander Qassem Suleimani came to see him while he was in Syria (reftel). -------------- Maliki's Analysis of Iran and Syria -------------- ¶8. (S) The Iranians and the Syrians are interested in starting a dialogue with the United States. Maliki said the GOI supports the United States having a political dialogue with Iran and Syria if they want to cooperate, even though nothing might come of the dialogue. He said it would reflect positively on Iraq. ¶9. (S) Maliki said the Syrians recently hosted an Iraqi Ba'ath Party conference with some 500 attendees. He said the Syrians claimed they were trying to leverage the split in the Iraqi Bath Party between leaders Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri and Mohammed Yunis al-Ahmed and encourage Ba'athists to join the political process. Maliki opined that there also is internal pressure in Syria for the Syrian government to do something with the large number of Iraqis living there. ¶10. (S) Maliki concluded that dialogues between the United States and Iran and Syria will solve part of the problem, but the rest is the Iraqis' responsibility. The Ambassador agreed, saying that Iraq has the lead on regional engagement and the United States is in a supporting role. Maliki said Iran and Syria signed an agreement yesterday to hold a regional foreign ministers meeting in Baghdad in support of the GOI. He mused that Iranian and Syrian support might send a sign to the Arabs that the meeting was arranged by Iran and Syria and hoped for Egyptian and Saudi Arabian support as well. -------------- PM: Sadrists Are Being Cooperative -------------- ¶11. (S) The Ambassador updated the Prime Minister on the dialogue between Coalition and Sadr City authorities, saying it was going well. The Prime Minister stated he spoke with Sadrists that morning and expressed satisfaction with their recent political moves. Maliki said not only did the Sadrist CoR members return to work without conditions, they accepted Maliki's conditions that they support the BSP by opening roads and doors for the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police to do their inspections. Maliki said the Sadrists did not object to arresting criminal suspects but were worried about random arrests. He assured the Sadrists that only suspects would be arrested and told the Ambassador that more security forces should be stationed in Sadr City so the residents cannot say they need weapons for protection. Maliki said that since the Sadrists are cooperating, it is important for MNF-I to cooperate with them. ¶12. (S) Maliki said the Sadrists appeared on television pledging their support for the BSP. He said the GOI is having a positive dialogue with the Sunni insurgent groups Jaysh al-Islami and Ansar al-Sunna, and said it would be helpful if the Sunni side also publicly announced their support for the BSP. KHALILZAD