UN ON PREPARATIONS FOR IRAQI PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000552 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV IZ SUBJECT: UN ON PREPARATIONS FOR IRAQI PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS ¶1. (SBU) Summary: USUN deputy political counselor Molly Phee met June 19 with the UN Director of the Electoral Assistance Division (EAD),Craig Jenness, to discuss EAD's support for elections in various countries, including upcoming provincial elections in Iraq. Jenness, who led the UN elections effort in Iraq in 2005, noted that Iraq's voter registration is expected to start on July 15 and will last for a period of 30 days. He said the Iraqis had agreed to a UN recommendation that IDPs be able to register to vote in either the location that they have been displaced to or the location that they lived in prior to 9 April 2003. On Kirkuk, Jenness suggested that it is likely that the CoR Committee on Provinces and Regions will recommend that voter registration occur in all provinces except for Kirkuk. He also reported that the Iraqi Election Commission has asked UNAMI's elections expert, Sandra Mitchell, to serve as policy advisor to the IEC. Mitchell will not be given the right to vote, but she will be present for IEC meetings. Jenness agreed that Mitchell could serve a useful function, particularly in providing political cover for controversial IEC decisions. ¶2. (SBU) Noting that the next round of the U.S.-UN strategic dialogue is scheduled for July 11, Phee confirmed EAD's participation in the meeting, and asked the UN to be prepared to share its view of what logistical, security and other support will be necessary from MNF-I. She also asked Jenness to advise on the role of the EU or other international observers. Jenness said the UN had been focused on training domestic observers, which is progressing well, but committed to responding to these two requests. In other elections news, Jenness reported that the UN had conducted an unannounced inspection of the regional election office in Anbar province and the results were positive. Overall, he was upbeat on election preparations. He welcomed a USUN recommendation that he consult with State, USAID, and other interested agencies when he next travels to Washington, D.C., likely in late July. Khalilzad