POLITICAL NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001066 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ SUBJECT: POLITICAL NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING UPBEAT, ISSUES CONCILIATORY STATEMENT Classified By: Political Counselor Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) The Political National Security Council (PCNS) met Saturday, April 5, 2008 at President Jalal Talabani's residence, with representatives of all the political parties represented in the Parliament. They discussed the security situation, political issues, and economic challenges in Iraq. PM Maliki also provided a detailed explanation of the rationale for the recent security operations in Basrah, Baghdad, and other provinces. Maliki told the PCNS "illegal militias have no place on Iraqi soil." The PCNS issued a fifteen point statement at the conclusion of the meeting aimed at disarming the country's many militia groups, most of them aligned to various political parties. The text of the statement is below; NB points 3 (call for disarmament) 10 (rebuking Iran) and 11 (investing the Iraqi budget surplus to improve GOI services in the provinces). Septel follows with further analysis. TEXT OF STATEMENT -------------- ¶2. (U) Begin text: In the name of God the Highest, Press Statement: The Political Council of National Security met on Saturday, April 5, 2008 in the headquarters (residence) of President of the Republic Jalal Talabani and held a gathering with all political parties represented by the Council of Representatives (CoR),and they discussed the security situation, political issues, and the economy. They listened to a detailed presentation by PM Maliki about the latest military operation that took place in Basrah, Baghdad, and other provinces. At the end of the meeting, the council agreed to the following: ¶1. Adopt rational political rhetoric required to calm people down and ameliorate the political friction. ¶2. Stand firmly with the government and its various security agencies in confronting, deterring the militias, and outlaws regardless of their affiliations, and respect the role that was played by the armed forces to impose security and order in Basrah and other governorates. ¶3. Denounce any destructive activity by any political forces aimed at government agencies/interests and public facilities. ¶4. Call for all parties and political entities to disband their militias, immediately turn over their weapons to the State and to shift to a peaceful civil activity as a condition of participation in the political process and elections. ¶5. Call on the government to dedicate its efforts and resources to relieve areas of tension, which experienced military operations and to work on improving the basic services for ordinary citizens in various regions and provinces. ¶6. Call on the Iraqi people, who paid a heavy price because of the outbreak of violence, to cooperate with the security services and armed forces to limit the violence. ¶7. Review the establishment and reform of the armed forces and security agencies. ¶8. Call for the restructuring of the National Unity Government based on the appropriate fundamentals agreed on nationally, and urge various withdrawn political entities (parties) to reconsider their positions with regard to their immediate return to the government. ¶9. Invest in tribal efforts and include their members in the armed forces as a temporary plan mandated by the current circumstances. ¶10. Condemn foreign interference in Iraqi affairs and ask the international community to assist Iraq in deterring neighboring countries that are still interfering in its internal affairs and still exerting their utmost efforts to undermine its stability and security. ¶11. Call on the GOI to invest in the budget surplus to fund more service projects in various governorates of Iraq. ¶12. Call for expediting the amendment of the Constitution. BAGHDAD 00001066 002 OF 002 ¶13. Terminate all illegal judicial organizations and rely exclusively on the official judiciary authority, and prevent the imposition of tributes and taxes outside the framework of these concerned government agencies. ¶14. Do not recognize closed-off areas; open those areas to governmental authority and political activity to work freely on the basis of fairness for everyone. ¶15. Call on the political bloc leaders to attend Council of Representatives meetings. End text. BUTENIS