Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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07STATE60237 | 2007-05-03 21:29:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Secretary of State |
VZCZCXYZ0011 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHC #0237 1232136 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P R 032129Z MAY 07 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA PRIORITY 0000 RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE PRIORITY 0000 RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR PRIORITY 0000 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0000 RUEHUM/AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR PRIORITY 0000 RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY 0000 INFO RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 0000 |
UNCLAS STATE 060237 |
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 4-5. SUMMARY -------------------------- 2. (U) This year's Community of Democracies (CD) Ministerial is scheduled for November 2007 in Bamako, Mali. Based upon a set of participation criteria, countries are invited to the ministerial as full participants, as observers, or are not invited at all. The decision of which countries will be invited to the CD Ministerial is taken by the CD Convening Group (CG), a coordinating body of 16 countries of which the United States is a member. The CG members are Cape Verde, Chile, Czech Republic, El Salvador, India, Italy, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, South Africa, and the United States. The initial step in this process is the preparation of a report by the non-governmental International Advisory Committee (IAC), organized by several NGOs affiliated with the CD process. The IAC issued recommendations to the CG on which countries to invite to the ministerial. The CG has just begun its deliberations but final decisions are not expected until the end o f July, at which time CD Chair Mali will send official invitations. 3. (SBU) The IAC recommended that Iraq not be invited for the 2007 ministerial. In May 2005 Iraq, before it held national elections, was an Observer in Santiago. Each CG member will undertake its own evaluation based on the CD Criteria for Participation and Procedures, which provides the norms for the participant and observer categories. The IAC recommendations are not binding but we want to ensure that Iraq is not excluded from the 2007 ministerial. The U.S. believes that Iraq should be invited as a full participant to the 2007 CD Ministerial in Bamako. Initially, we intend to share our view, with countries with personnel in Iraq, countries with a direct stake in ensuring that democracy succeeds in Iraq. End Summary. OBJECTIVES -------------------------- 4. (SBU) Posts are instructed to pursue the following objectives: -- Urge host governments, members of the Convening Group, to support full Participant status for Iraq for the November 2007 Bamako CD Ministerial. -- Convey to governments that while the situation in Iraq is difficult on the security side, the Iraqis have made considerable progress in developing their democracy, including holding national elections in December 2005 and passing a Constitution in October 2005. -- Convey our sense that Iraq's attendance as a full participant will provide a positive incentive for the Iraqi authorities to continue to make progress on democracy. -- Press host governments to lobby other members of the Convening Group to ensure full participant status for Iraq. -- Resist any effort on the part of host governments to downgrade Iraq's status to Observer or non-invited. -- Should host governments indicate intent to downgrade Iraq to Observer status, press for concrete reasons for such a determination. 5. (SBU) Posts should also highlight positive steps that have been taken since the May 2005 ministerial including most notably: -- Iraqis have completed three successful nationwide elections, voted for a transitional government, drafted the most progressive, democratic constitution in the Arab world, approved that constitution, and elected a new government under their new constitution. -- In October 2005, Iraqi voters approved a new permanent constitution. -- In December 2005, nearly 12 million Iraqis chose a permanent government in free elections under the new constitution. -- In April 2006, Iraqi leaders announced an agreement on the top leadership posts for a national government uniting Sunni, Shiite, and Kurd. -- In January 2007 the Council of Representatives passed a law that established an Independent Higher Election Commission, and Iraqis are now in process of selecting those commissioners. -- The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), the entity monitoring and largely implementing the UNSCR 1546 democracy program, and subsequent UN resolutions have praised specifically Iraq's commitment to and achievement of democratic institutions. -- The current government is inclusive, with most of the parties except Iyad Allawi's Irakiaya, the Al Sadr Stream, and Saleh Mutlaq's group outside, for a total of about 200 of the 275 legislators in the government. -- Reflecting its democratic, inclusive vocation, the government has announced a major program of reconciliation with insurgents, Sunnis, and Shia radicals, including a revised oil law, constitutional reform, de-Baathification reform, and communal elections. -- The Sharm Al Sheikh Neighbors Conference and the UN-sponsored International Compact Meeting, both held in Egypt in early May 2007, are the latest manifestations of Iraq's acceptance in the region and the international community as a democracy. REPORTING DEADLINE -------------------------- 6. (U) Posts should report results of efforts by cable to G - Joaquin Ferrao, DRL/MLGA - Laura Jordan, and IO/RHS - Rachel Leatham before May 10. BACKGROUND -------------------------- 7. (U) The Community of Democracies includes over 120 countries with (nascent or developed) democratic governments which have committed to promoting democracy around the world and sharing their unique experiences and lessons learned with others. The U.S. has been an active supporter of CD because we view it as a unique forum where democracies can act together to address issues of democracy and human rights. More information about the Community can be found at http://www.state.gov/g/drl/c10790.htm. 8. (U) The Criteria for Participation and Procedures set out the basis upon which countries are to be judged for Observer or Participant status. The Criteria for Participation and Procedures are available at http://www.state.gov/g/drl/26085.htm. POINT OF CONTACT -------------------------- 9. (U) Please contact DRL/MLGA - Laura Jordan at 202-647-0293 or via email for any necessary further background information or argumentation to meet our objectives. RICE |