PARLIAMENT SPEAKER MASHADANI CITES FAILURES OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003027

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR IZ
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENT SPEAKER MASHADANI CITES FAILURES OF
MALIKI GOVERNMENT


Classified By: Political Counselor Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)


1. (C) Summary: Mahmoud Mashadani, the ever-prickly Council
of Representatives (CoR) Speaker, told PolCouns September 6
that he felt slighted at not being invited with other GOI
leaders to join President Bush's September 2 visit to Anbar.
Mashadani complained about what he called the failure of PM
Maliki's administration to address issues of detainees and
sectarian violence or provide for basic public services. He
said it was better to keep Maliki than make a change, but was
critical of Maliki's advisors. He called for more
technocrats to head the ministries, noting he would also like
to see the number of ministers reduced in order to improve
efficiency in decisionmaking in the Council of Ministers
(CoM). He blamed delays in passing the provincial powers and
oil/gas laws on the CoM. End summary.

MASHADANI FEELS MARGINALIZED
--------------


2. (C) In a meeting with PolCouns on September 6, CoR Speaker
Mahmoud Mashadani complained that he was not invited to Anbar
during President Bush's September 2 visit. He noted
President Talabani and PM Maliki left for Anbar "without
giving us a hint" and he learned of the visit through the
media. He added the CoR is being marginalized by the Maliki
administration, with resultant delays in passing the
provincial powers law and the oil/gas law.


3. (C) Mashadani complained about what he termed the failures
of the Maliki administration, saying Maliki's government had
not sufficiently addressed the issues of detainees, sectarian
violence against innocent people, or providing basic public
services such as electricity. He added that people deserve
to work and complained that the unemployment rate remains
high. He said he "likes" PM Maliki but thinks he has a bad
group of advisors around him. He added that the executive
branch of the Iraqi Government must cooperate with the CoR or
"it will fail."


4. (C) Mashadani also raised the plight of over four million
refugees and displaced Iraqis and complained about the
limited level of assistance they are currently receiving from
the U.N. He cited the need for the GOI to make some
decisions on how to deal with militias and improve human
rights. At the same time, Mashadani raised the need to
coordinate with political blocs to bring about national
reconciliation. He said "we are all in the same ship" and
"there is risk of losing the battle" if things do not change.
Mashadani noted the importance of having capable technocrats
in the executive branch of the government. He said it is
better to keep PM Maliki rather than make a change, but
called for the replacement of unqualified ministers. He
noted his support for the expansion of the decisionmaking
base to 3 1 and thinks the CoM should be trimmed down to
twenty-two ministers.

WILL TAWAFUQ RETURN?
--------------


5. (C) In response to PolCouns' inquiry regarding whether
Tawafuq might return to the government, Mashadani simply said
the Tawafuq bloc believes PM Maliki has not accomplished
anything and he should be "let go" if that is the case. He
did not address whether the Tawafuq ministers would return.
At the same time, he said the CoR does not have anything
against PM Maliki personally. On the status of the
provincial powers law, Mashadani said there are negotiations
in the CoM and the Ministry of Justice is reviewing the text.
He added that this law and the oil/gas law "must be sent to
the CoR so they can be discussed." He added that Maliki is
concerned the provinces will have too much power if the
provincial powers law passes. He added the people have
delegated this issue to the CoR to solve the problem.

A SMALL NOTE OF OPTIMISM
--------------


6. (C) Despite many of Mashadani's complaints about the
executive branch of the government, he did comment that he
thinks the security situation is improving and said he "sees
the light at the end of the tunnel." He said that Sunnis in
various areas in Baghdad are returning to their neighborhoods.
BUTENIS