EU: PM MALIKI MEETS WITH EU LEADERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000580

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2018
TAGS: PREL ENRG EAID PGOV IZ EUN
SUBJECT: EU: PM MALIKI MEETS WITH EU LEADERS

REF: A. BRUSSELS 550


B. BRUSSELS 108

Classified By: Alyce Tidball, Deputy Political Minister Counselor for r
easons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY. Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki and his
delegation met with European Union leaders in Brussels on
Wednesday, April 16. Both European Commission President
Barroso and Council HiRep Solana, in separate meetings,
highlighted the need for: Iraqi national reconciliation,
provincial elections in October, the hydrocarbon law, and a
solution to the situation in Kirkuk. Barroso, in a joint
press conference with Maliki, confirmed EU commitment to
helping Iraq and declared the EU is close to reaching an
energy security pact with Iraq. Maliki addressed the European
Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee describing progress in
Iraq and asking for continued EU assistance in capacity
building and training. He also called on EU companies to
increase investments in Iraq. The Iraqis canceled their
meeting with Slovenian Presidency FM Rupel. END SUMMARY.




2. (C) BARROSO MEETING
According to Commission contact, the meeting with Barroso was
"not a dynamic meeting", but confirmed the interest of both
the Iraqis and the EU to cooperate more closely and to build
longer term relations. Barroso stressed the need for:
national reconciliation in Iraq, local elections this year,
passage of the hydrocarbon law, and a suitable and
sustainable solution to the situation in Kirkuk. PM Maliki
described the security situation, noting that the operations
in Basrah show that the Iraqis are doing their best to secure
Iraq, to clear out the "criminal gangs", and to draw Sunnis
into the government again. Barroso outlined EC desire to
focus its assistance efforts on capacity building. Barroso
also discussed the EU's desire to move ahead on energy
security and cooperation. (Iraq Oil Minister al-Shahristani's
meeting with EU Energy Commissioner Pielbags will be reported
septel.) At a joint press conference following the meeting,
Barroso declared that the EU wants to establish an energy
security partnership with Iraq and said they would sign an
MOU in the coming weeks. Barroso also said that negotiations
on a trade and cooperation agreement were progressing very
well. PM Maliki asked for more aid from the Europeans for
reconstruction efforts and Barroso declared Iraq could count
on EU solidarity to build a peaceful country based on
democracy and rule of law.


3. (C) SOLANA MEETING
Council contact described the meeting with HiRep Solana as
very useful. Contact was personally struck with PM Maliki's
confidence as he underlined progress in Iraq, an observation
confirmed by a member state contact who had also received a
readout of the meeting. He reported that inter-sectarian
violence had stopped and Iraq is no longer on the brink of
civil war. Sunnis, he said, are ready to re-enter the
political system and the government. He insisted that
current violence is caused by criminal gangs hiding behind
political slogans and declared that the population of Iraq
supports him. Solana delivered messages on the need for
political reconciliation, local elections, hydrocarbon law,
and a solution to Kirkuk. Both Solana and Maliki agreed to
strengthen relations on all fronts. Another council contact
reported that FM Zebari was the most impressive interlocutor
in the meeting and the only one willing to state that Iran is
a problem.


4. (U) EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
PM Maliki met with European Parliament President Poettering
and then addressed the EP's Foreign Affairs Committee and the
Delegation for Relations with Iraq. He stressed the
improvement in the security situation as evidenced by the
Basrah operation. He highlighted the upcoming October
provincial elections as a new step toward a stable and
democratic Iraq. Answering questions, Maliki said the GOI
would "ensure that militias will not interfere," noting that
the law banning political parties with militias from
participating in elections had been welcomed by all parties.
He confirmed that internally displaced people and refugees
would be able to vote, but stressed that the technicalities
to allow this to happen have yet to be addressed. Asked
about the withdrawal of coalition forces, he stressed that
sudden withdrawal "would lead to confusion" but advocated an
"organized withdrawal." Asked by a British MEP if UK forces
were still needed in the south, he replied that "those
provinces are now under the control of Iraqi forces." On
relations with neighbors, Maliki stressed that Iraq should
"not be a playground for a regional power game," adding that
he had told neighboring countries that "we want them to stop

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their territory from being a training place for terrorists."
Finally, he called on EU companies to increase their
investments in Iraq, stressing the need for European
technologies and capital. He also called for continued EU
help in capacity building and training.

Murray
.