SRSG DISCUSSES TURKEY, ELECTIONS AND NEIGHBORS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001274 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ SUBJECT: SRSG DISCUSSES TURKEY, ELECTIONS AND NEIGHBORS WITH AMBASSADOR Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker reasons 1.4(b) and (d). US PARTICIPANTS -------------- Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker S/I David Satterfield Thomas Krajeski, Senior Advisor to the Ambassador Brett McGurk, NSC Senior Director Ali Khedery, Special Assistant to the Ambassador Susan Riggs, Note taker UNAMI PARTICIPANTS -------------- SRSG Staffan de Mistura D-SRSG Andrew Gilmour ¶1. (C) Summary: On April 18, the Ambassador met with UNAMI SRSG Staffan de Mistura to discuss a wide range of issues. The SRSG briefed on his fact-finding mission to Erbil and Ninewa provinces, and his surprise that out of the four districts UNAMI is working on for early recommendations, the two he thought might remain outside of the KRG actually preferred to come under KRG control. He discussed his views on election timing and a conversation with an emissary from Ayatollah Ali Sistani, who wants UNAMI to clean house on the remaining 11 GEO directors. De Mistura voiced his concern over the lack of movement by the GOI in granting UNAMI rights to the site chosen for the new UNAMI compound. The SRSG and Ambassador also strategized over goals for the Neighbors Ministerial and the International Compact for Iraq. End Summary. SURPRISING BOUNDARY "DISPUTES" -------------- ¶2. (C) On a dusty April 18, UNAMI SRSG Staffan de Mistura met with the Ambassador and briefed him on his recent trip to Erbil and Ninewa. He said he is determined to make an announcement of resolution on the first four disputed districts (Akre, Makhmour, Hamdaniya in Ninewa and BaladRooz/Mandali in Diyala) on or about May 12. He plans to present the results to each of the 3 plus 2 and wants the Kurds to lobby Prime Minister Maliki, as Maliki will not want to lose the Kurds after their support of him during the Basrah operation. The SRSG wants to show there is momentum to resolve these issues and plans to announce the next four areas to be reviewed. He also wants to indicate some confidence building measures for Kirkuk. He wants to prove the "soft" approach is working. As for next steps, de Mistura is looking at tackling Sinjar, Talafar, Sheikhan, and Khanagin as well as Nukhayb and Balad in the south. ¶3. (C) De Mistura told the Ambassador he was surprised at the results after he traveled to the districts in Ninewa province and Deputy SRSG for Political Affairs Andrew Gilmour went to BaladRooz in Diyala province. UNAMI found that Hamdaniya and BaladRooz/Mandali districts very obviously would prefer to be governed by the KRG. De Mistura is hoping to use this as leverage with the Kurds to work out a deal on Kirkuk. The Ambassador told de Mistura that Nechirvan Barzani was pleased with the SRSG's approach and wanted to be the soul of reason and flexibility. De Mistura said that he hoped to have Barzani and Murat Ozcelik, the GOT special envoy to Iraq, over for dinner on the eve of the announcement and allow them to sit in a room together, away from prying eyes, to discuss Kurdish-Turkish relations. ELECTIONS -------------- ¶4. (C) The SRSG said UNAMI is still working towards an October 1 election day, though privately, he believes that date is unattainable. He stated UNAMI will not say that publicly for fear the Iraqi politicians would be content to let the date slip even further. He suggested December 5 as an alternative so that AQI would not be tempted to disrupt Iraqi provincial elections in the run up to the U.S. presidential elections. The SRSG is concerned the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has still not received the USD 100 million for voter registration promised by the Council of Ministers. However he is encouraging IHEC to start spending the money it does have because the GOI has made a written promise to fund the USD 100 million. ¶5. (C) De Mistura informed the Ambassador he was approached by an envoy from Ayatollah Ali Sistani who voiced his concern that 11 of the 19 Governorate Electoral Office (GEO) directors had not been chosen using the non-partisan UNAMI method. The SRSG told the envoy that Sistani should encourage the CoR leadership to move quickly to select the seven GEO director positions UNAMI has recommended. BAGHDAD 00001274 002 OF 002 Otherwise, it would be difficult for UNAMI to start a selection process for the other 11. On a separate note, the envoy also expressed Sistani's dismay at 87,000 Sahawa members becoming part of the Iraqi Army. De Mistura reassured him that it would only be 20,000 and the rest would be covered by Disarmament, Demobilization and Rehabilitation (DDR). The SRSG suggested Sistani speak with Maliki and encourage him to be more enthusiastic about DDR and perhaps make an announcement at the Neighbors Ministerial in Kuwait next week. UN COMPOUND, KUWAIT, STOCKHOLM -------------- ¶6. (C) The SRSG was concerned that UNAMI has still not received a written agreement from Maliki granting the use of the Sajid palace grounds for the new UNAMI compound. De Mistura will be in New York in early May and believes he cannot go without an agreement in hand. The Ambassador promised to help with this. The SRSG then asked the Ambassador his thoughts on the upcoming Neighbors Ministerial. The Ambassador relayed Maliki's skepticism of the Neighbors process and his increasing unhappiness with Ministerials outside of Iraq discussing the problems in Iraq. The Ambassador suggested the next Neighbors Ministerial should focus on regional issues. De Mistura offered refugees and economic linkages as two possible topics. He also expressed hope for an announcement of new embassy openings in Baghdad during the Ministerial. The Ambassador replied that perhaps Bahrain will make that announcement. De Mistura said he was approached by the Swedes questioning if it was really worth it for Stockholm to host the International Compact for Iraq. He assured them it was, and said that now he must ensure the success of the ICI. CROCKER