SUNNI VP HASHIMI NOT BRIEFED ON BAGHDAD SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000296 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ SUBJECT: SUNNI VP HASHIMI NOT BRIEFED ON BAGHDAD SECURITY PLAN, HESITANT TO APPROVE SOE Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, for reasons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C) During a January 25 meeting, VP Hashimi told the Ambassador he preferred to appoint a Tawafuq representative to head the Baghdad Security Mobilization Committee to working with Ahmed Chalabi. Hashimi observed that he was not in a position to "mobilize anyone", because no one had briefed him yet on the plan's details, and he had received nothing in writing. Hashimi expressed reservations on signing the State of Emergency, noting that his previous approval had been contingent upon on a request that the PM "respect the principles of human rights." While he was not trying to put any obstacles in Maliki's way, Hashimi said, the numerous human rights violations over the past months gave him pause in renewing his approval of the SOE. Hashimi told the Ambassador that he would sign it, but noted this was the "last time" he would approve an SOE without evidence of an improvement in the respect for human rights. Hashimi said that Colonel Fawzi, newly appointed head of ISF in the IZ, was a known JAM supporter and would "cause problems." The Ambassador noted that General Casey was looking into these allegations. ¶2. (C) The Ambassador told Hashimi that IIP should continue its efforts to lobby the Kurdish Alliance and the Shia Coalition for support on its draft of the De-Baath law. In the wake of the complex attack against the NDI convoy headed to the IIP headquarters, the Ambassador said MNF-I assessed the IIP headquarters and its environs for security threats and had recently approved an 80K USD plan to enhance security in the area. The Ambassador noted that an FBI investigation had begun into the attacks; VP Hashimi said IIP would assist in any way it could. KHALILZAD