SPEAKER PELOSI MEETING WITH NEW IRAQI SPEAKER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001266 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP IZ SUBJECT: SPEAKER PELOSI MEETING WITH NEW IRAQI SPEAKER SAMARRAIE Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Patricia Butenis for Reasons 1.4 (b) a nd (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY Ayad al-Samarraie, newly elected Speaker of the Council of Representatives (CoR) thanked Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Rush Holt for the contributions and sacrifices of the U.S. people in Iraq, but said it was time for the U.S. and Iraq to move from a military to a more strategic relationship . During their May 10, 2009 meeting in Baghdad, Samarraie expressed a desire to establish a formal exchange between the two countries' legislatures, especially to tap into U.S. expertise on conducting legislative oversight, and Speaker Pelosi invited Speaker Samarraie to the U.S. Samarraie also expressed concerns about critical challenges facing Iraq and the CoR, including corruption, building strong democratic institutions, a non-sectarian security force and national reconciliation. Samarraie also stressed that the U.S. should play a major advisory role to help resolve the Arab-Kurd dispute. END SUMMARY ¶2. (SBU) Speaker Samarraie expressed gratitude to the U.S. people for their sacrifices in Iraq and for their financial and technical assistance over the last six years. Salman Jumaili (a member of Samarraie's Iraqi Islamic Party - IIP), Deputy Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, echoed Samarraie's statement of gratitude. Jumaili also said that it was incumbent on the U.S. and Iraq to honor the sacrifices made and ensure that democracy thrives in Iraq. Speaker Pelosi also invited Samarraie to visit the United States. Legislative Exchange -------------- ¶3. (C) Noting that Iraq's security has improved due to U.S. contributions, Samarraie said that the focus should now be on the strategic relationship, moving from a military and security focus to a traditional political-diplomatic, economic, and cultural one. Samarraie said that stronger ties between the U.S. and Iraqi legislatures would be useful, and suggested establishing a formal bilateral legislative exchange to help Iraq increase its legislative capacity, especially in the exercise of oversight. Samarraie also stressed his desire to improve coordination of U.S. assistance to the CoR. He thanked Speaker Pelosi for U.S. governance programs and NGO assistance, but suggested that these programs would be more effective if coordinated. Samarraie suggested establishing a formal exchange with a Memorandum of Understanding, a model that Iraq has used with other countries. From Security to Strategic Relationship -------------- ¶4. (C) Samarraie said Iraq would abide by the withdrawal timetable in the bilateral Security Agreement, but expressed concern about security in Iraq. He stressed that the U.S. should use the Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA) to support Iraqi adherence to constitutional principles. Specifically, Samarraie identified four challenges: corruption, insufficient institutional capacity, sectarianism within the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF),and national reconciliation as a basis for stability. Pelosi responded that the challenges were interrelated, but corruption was a serious issue, noting that the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) called Iraq the third most corrupt state in the world. She also expressed concern that corruption would be a barrier to development. 5 (C) On concerns about a sectarian ISF, Speaker Pelosi assured Samarraie that, while U.S. forces would withdraw according to schedule, U.S. forces would help train the ISF to be more professional, and not sectarian. Samarraie responded that public trust in the ISF was weak. While the Qresponded that public trust in the ISF was weak. While the Security Agreement and the withdrawal schedule were good, he opined that too many decisions were left up to the military commanders and there were insufficient political considerations which could become problematic if instability increased. CoR Member and Deputy Chair of the Security and Defense Committee, Abd al-Karim Samarraie (no relation) (IIP),also noted the recent uptick in violence and pressed for greater U.S.-Iraqi intelligence cooperation. MP Samarraie also mentioned the possible July referendum on the Security Agreement, although he thought a referendum would produce a positive result. Arab-Kurd Issues -------------- ¶6. (C) Samarraie identified the disputed internal boundaries (DIBs) issue as "too important" to be put on a list, and asked whether it was better to deal with it now or until BAGHDAD 00001266 002 OF 002 there is greater stability. Holt referenced the UN's DIBs reports, and asked if an international role would be useful. Samarraie responded that the DIBs issue was complicated and that any agreement must be accepted by all sides. He opined that international parties, especially those with real influence, should play a role. However, he stressed, that role should be to provide advice not interference and insisted that the U.S. should use its influence to encourage all parties to avoid increasing tensions. ¶7. (SBU) CODEL Pelosi did not have the opportunity to clear this message. BUTENIS