COR SPEAKER MASHADANI DISCUSSES PROVINCIAL POWERS

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 000785

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2018
TAGS: PREF PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: COR SPEAKER MASHADANI DISCUSSES PROVINCIAL POWERS
LAW VETO WITH THE AMBASSADOR

REF: BAGHDAD 621

Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (S/NF) Council of Representatives (CoR) Speaker Mahmoud
Mashadani told the Ambassador on March 15 he hopes VP Adil
Abdul Mehdi will withdraw his veto of the provincial powers
law. As Mashadani told the Ambassador in their previous
meeting (reftel),his own "Shura Council" is reviewing the
legal validity of Mehdi's objections. He added he plans to
return to the CoR building tomorrow (March 16) to check on
the status of this legal review, which was delayed by the
recent Arab Parliamentarians' conference in Erbil.


2. (S/NF) Mashadani confided in the Ambassador that he is
truly troubled by Mehdi's veto. "If we promise to amend the
law shortly after is's passed, hopefully he will withdraw his
veto," Mashadani said. The Ambassador shared that Mehdi told
him in a recent meeting that he hopes an understanding
regarding his objections to the law can be reached. The
Ambassador then reminded Mashadani he will be testifying to
Congress in April (2008). Mashadani encouraged President
Bush to call VP Mehdi to press the issue and appeal to
Mehdi's vanity and ego.
CROCKER