UNAMI SHARES ITS VIEWS ON DIBS, ELECTIONS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001338 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ UN KDEM SUBJECT: UNAMI SHARES ITS VIEWS ON DIBS, ELECTIONS, REFUGEES AND SECURITY Classified By: Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Patricia Butenis for re asons 1.4 (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: UNAMI Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (DSRSG) Andrew Gilmour met with the U.S. delegation led by U/S Burns and USD(P) Flournoy. They discussed the most pressing topics for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI),including advancement of UNAMI,s plan for the disputed territories in northern Iraq, planning for Iraq,s upcoming elections, and the status of Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons. End Summary. -------------- UNAMI,s DIBs Reports -------------- ¶2. (C) DSRSG Gilmour expressed some frustration that all parties have missed the first deadline (May 8) for submitting comments on the UNAMI DIBs report. UNAMI has extended the deadline to May 18 in the hope that the recipients will share substantive comments in writing. (Note: the DIBs reports were given to the Presidency Council, the Prime Minister and his two deputies, and the Kurdistan Regional Government leadership). When asked by USD(P) Flournoy, DSRSG Gilmour confirmed that UNAMI welcomes U.S. support in both encouraging comments and also in supporting the creation of a senior-level task force that will continue to pursue peaceful resolution of DIBs issues. DSRSG Gilmour noted that PM Maliki expressed support for the task force idea, but has taken no action. He added that public response to the report had been limited, although some Sunni leaders have privately accused the report of bias. The Kurds, while neutral in conversations with UNAMI, have expressed frustration with the report to MNF-I leadership. Specifically, they have criticized the report as unacceptable, and are considering rejecting it altogether without offering detailed comment or rebuttal. Later the DSRSG lamented that the delegation was not planning to go to the north to talk to the KRG President; Gilmour fears that President Barzani is surrounded by advisors who "do not tell him the truth" and so he is not helping UNAMI with the DIBs process. ¶3. (C) U/S Burns also raised the DIBs reports during a meeting earlier the same day with Foreign Minister Zebari (other topics reported septel). Zebari praised the reports, which he said provided useful factual background, options, and suggestions for a political process. He predicted the KRG leadership will not accept the reports, but that it will not reject them either, a position that would open the door to beginning a political process. Zebari noted that the Kurds have formed a legal-political commission to study the reports, and he advised that the key thing now was to keep things quiet and allow the committee to do its work. Zebari also said the Kurdish leadership is alarmed by the actions of the hard-line Arab nationalist al-Hadba party in Mosul. He stressed the need for power-sharing arrangements in Mosul, pointing out the days of Iraq being ruled by any one sect are over and that there must be consensus rule.) -------------- Support for Iraq,s Elections -------------- ¶4. (C) In response to U/S Burns, request for an overview of the preparations for the national parliamentary elections, Sandra Mitchell, head of the UNAMI Electoral Assistance Team, explained that Iraq,s crowded electoral calendar is on a tight time line. First, KRG parliamentary and presidential elections are planned for July 25; UNAMI is helping Iraq,s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to prepare. Right after that, a nation-wide Voter Registration Update QRight after that, a nation-wide Voter Registration Update (VRU) for the national election is planned for early August. Mitchell advised that this will be a critical opportunity to correct some of the problems that led to errors in voter registries during the January 2009 provincial elections. After the VRU, IHEC will go into full-gear for preparations for national parliamentary elections, likely in January 2010. Mitchell added that, due to IHEC,s limited capacity to handle multiple electoral events simultaneously, UNAMI is not pushing IHEC to work on plans for any referenda this summer (whether on the U.S. Security Agreement, Constitutional Review, or any other issue). Mitchell reports that IHEC prepared the feasibility study for a possible referendum in July, as requested by the parliament, and they have heard nothing more. ¶5. (C) Mitchell cautioned that UNAMI is already closely watching the elections timeline so that IHEC does not fall behind. The IHEC Board of Commissioners has recently determined that it does not have the funding it needs for the KRG parliamentary and presidential elections. They are scrambling to correct this matter with the Ministry of BAGHDAD 00001338 002 OF 002 Finance just days before procurements must be initiated (Note: we expect this matter to be resolved quickly and note septel will report on May 14 meeting with the IHEC Chairman). Mitchell advises that some major areas need to be examined, based on complaints received after the January elections, including: treatment of IDPs and returnees; guidelines for voter registration; and clear permissions for funding future election events. If these issues are not addressed, UNAMI is concerned that voters may not accept the results of national elections. Mitchell reassured the attendees -- Iraq still has some time to resolve these issues, but UNAMI encourages them to move quickly. -------------- UNHCR Discusses Displaced Iraqis -------------- ¶6. (C) USD(P) Flournoy asked about refugees and IDPs in Iraq. Daniel Endres, the head of UNHCR in Iraq, there are roughly 2.8 million displaced Iraqis. Of these, about 1.6 million are internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the rest are refugees abroad. Endres reported that so far about 30,000 displaced Iraqis have returned in 2009, but UNHCR anticipates a total of about 500,000 returnees this year, with the majority arriving in June, July and August. Endres reported that returning Iraqis continue to need critical support from GOI, including security and access to housing, income, and jobs. While GOI allotted some $230 million for returnees in 2008, the Ministry of Displacement and Migration has only $42 million in its 2009 budget for social benefits. Endres continues to pursue this issue with the GOI. UNHCR remains concerned that returning Iraqis may choose to leave again if they cannot find the support that they need in Iraq. The U.S. delegation commended UNHCR,s continued efforts. -------------- Future Security for UNAMI -------------- ¶7. (C) Near the end of the meeting, U/S Flournoy asked if UNAMI was comfortable with the U.S. plans for the drawdown. The UNAMI mission,s head of security, John Mansell, noted that they had just completed a major security review in April, and that UNAMI is seeking to slowly reposition itself for the future. The main dynamic is that UNAMI is likely to increase its personnel just as the military is reducing its presence; as this happens UNAMI plans to gradually rely more on GOI for protection. Mansell reported that their new compound will not be completed for another two to three years, so UNAMI will seek to collocate with USAID in the interim. Mansell also noted that UNAMI,s access to aircraft will be diminished, and that they are seeking to identify additional means of air support for the mission. ¶8. (U) U/S Burns and USD/P Flournoy have cleared this cable. HILL