Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08USUNNEWYORK524
2008-06-13 22:52:00
SECRET
USUN New York
Cable title:
ZEBARI BELIEVES MALIKI HAS TURNED AGAINST SOFA,
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUCNDT #0524 1652252 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 132252Z JUN 08 FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4430 INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0676
S E C R E T USUN NEW YORK 000524
SIPDIS
PLEASE PASS TO THE SECRETARY'S PARTY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2012
TAGS: PREL PARM PGOV UNSC IZ
SUBJECT: ZEBARI BELIEVES MALIKI HAS TURNED AGAINST SOFA,
SFA
Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
S E C R E T USUN NEW YORK 000524
SIPDIS
PLEASE PASS TO THE SECRETARY'S PARTY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2012
TAGS: PREL PARM PGOV UNSC IZ
SUBJECT: ZEBARI BELIEVES MALIKI HAS TURNED AGAINST SOFA,
SFA
Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (S) Following the mid-year Security Council review of the
MNF-I and DFI mandates June 13, Iraqi Foreign Minister
Hoshyar Zebari spoke privately to Amb Khalilzad on the
margins of a lunch with Security Council PermReps. Zebari
shared his assessment that Prime Minister Maliki no longer
seeks a SOFA and SFA with the United States.
2. (S) Zebari attributed the change in Maliki's view to
three factors. First, the Prime Minister now has greater
confidence in the capabilites of Iraqi Security Forces and
therefore believes he no longer needs MNF-I support. Second,
clerics in Qom and Najaf have reportedly issued fatwas
against both the SOFA and SFA. Third, the Prime Minister is
under a lot of pressure from Iran. While Zebari did not
accompany Maliki on his recent trip to Iran, the Foreign
Minister understands Maliki was told not to enter into these
agreements by Tehran. Zebari said he had unsuccessfully
tried to reach the Prime Minister in Jordan by phone June 13.
3. (S) Zebari also told Amb Khalilzad that both Ahmed
Chalabi and Ibrahim Ja'fari are opposed to the SOFA/SFA.
Switching topics, the Foreign Minister highlighted the
positive shift in the position of Iraq's Sunni Arab
community. He said, "The seeds we planted have born fruit."
But he added that it is important to consolidate this
achievement before the Sunni Arabs drift back into
disaffectation and opposition.
Khalilzad
SIPDIS
PLEASE PASS TO THE SECRETARY'S PARTY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2012
TAGS: PREL PARM PGOV UNSC IZ
SUBJECT: ZEBARI BELIEVES MALIKI HAS TURNED AGAINST SOFA,
SFA
Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (S) Following the mid-year Security Council review of the
MNF-I and DFI mandates June 13, Iraqi Foreign Minister
Hoshyar Zebari spoke privately to Amb Khalilzad on the
margins of a lunch with Security Council PermReps. Zebari
shared his assessment that Prime Minister Maliki no longer
seeks a SOFA and SFA with the United States.
2. (S) Zebari attributed the change in Maliki's view to
three factors. First, the Prime Minister now has greater
confidence in the capabilites of Iraqi Security Forces and
therefore believes he no longer needs MNF-I support. Second,
clerics in Qom and Najaf have reportedly issued fatwas
against both the SOFA and SFA. Third, the Prime Minister is
under a lot of pressure from Iran. While Zebari did not
accompany Maliki on his recent trip to Iran, the Foreign
Minister understands Maliki was told not to enter into these
agreements by Tehran. Zebari said he had unsuccessfully
tried to reach the Prime Minister in Jordan by phone June 13.
3. (S) Zebari also told Amb Khalilzad that both Ahmed
Chalabi and Ibrahim Ja'fari are opposed to the SOFA/SFA.
Switching topics, the Foreign Minister highlighted the
positive shift in the position of Iraq's Sunni Arab
community. He said, "The seeds we planted have born fruit."
But he added that it is important to consolidate this
achievement before the Sunni Arabs drift back into
disaffectation and opposition.
Khalilzad