PM ADVISOR RIKABI UPBEAT ON VP BIDEN VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001817 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2019 TAGS: IZ SUBJECT: PM ADVISOR RIKABI UPBEAT ON VP BIDEN VISIT Classified By: Special Advisor Brett McGurk for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Prime Minister Maliki was pleased with Vice President Biden,s visit overall and welcomes U.S. support behind the scenes on reconciliation matters )- in particular with Arab-Kurd disputes, PM Advisor Sadiq Rikabi told Special Advisor McGurk July 6. Rikabi also discussed his plan for advancing the reconciliation process, and why public rhetoric sometimes conflicts with internal actions and deliberations. Public pressure, however, will decrease the space for the Prime Minister and other leaders to move toward compromise. Rikabi also asked to discuss a proposed schedule and agenda for Maliki,s upcoming visit to Washington. End Summary. -------------- FOUR SPECIFIC REACTIONS: ALL POSITIVE -------------- ¶2. (C) Rikabi said the Prime Minister was extremely pleased with the visit and was &especially encouraged8 by four specific points the Vice President made in his meeting and public remarks. First, it is essential that we move swiftly to activate the Strategic Framework Agreement. Rikabi explained that with the success of the Security Agreement and the June 30 withdrawal the Prime Minister is now emphasizing the need for a longer-term relationship beyond the presence of U.S. forces. He was pleased that the Vice President noted the SFA in his remarks and hopes the Maliki visit to Washington can build on the good atmosphere. Rikabi added the PM and his team are committed to working closely with Secretary Clinton and her staff on an agenda for the discussing the SFA. ¶3. (C) Second, the commitment of the new administration to the &letter and spirit8 of both agreements is vital and will help all Iraqi leaders move forward with a long-term relationship. He said there is still skepticism over U.S. intentions, commitment, and follow through. But the success of June 30 and the statements along the lines of those made by the Vice President are beginning to dispel those doubts. Third, the Chapter VII issue is critical to Iraq overcoming the legacy of Saddam Hussein and the Vice President mentioning the issue in his points had a positive impact. The Prime Minister wants to work very closely with us to finally remove Iraq from Chapter VII oversight particularly on the Kuwait issue, Rikabi said. Finally, the Prime Minister welcomed the approach the Vice President outlined on national reconciliation: the United States in support, helping where requested, and sharing the same objectives; defusing Arab-Kurd tensions; supporting the UNAMI process; ensuring SOI integration; and cooling the overall atmosphere in the run-up to national elections. -------------- EXPLAINING SPOKESMAN,S COMMENTS -------------- ¶4. (C) In explaining some of the apparent statements made by Spokesman Ali al-Debbagh -- that reconciliation is an &internal affair8 and U.S. mediation is not welcome -- Rikabi said Debbagh would be issuing a statement to clarify his remarks. (Debbagh did in fact issue an official statement July 5.) Rikabi explained that the Prime Minister is politically vulnerable on the most difficult reconciliation issues, including in particular the issue of de-Ba,athification reform. In the Iraqi mind, Rikabi said, when Americans speak of the need for &reconciliation,8 it evokes the idea that Americans want to bring back the Ba,ath Party in a reconstituted form. He noted that few Shi,a leaders ever used the word before 2006 and even now it needs to be carefully explained and understood so as to avoid Qto be carefully explained and understood so as to avoid causing mistrust between the Iraqi people (especially the Shi,a) and the American side. He further claimed that Ba,ath leaders in Syria and elsewhere are claiming the United States has a new policy towards Iraq: moving away from democracy and concentrating on stability, which they read as a signal the Americans are open to supporting the party coming back to power. He said Maliki supports the principles of de-Ba,athification reform but could never support the return of the Ba,ath as an entity in any form. He said the Prime Minister sought assurance that we shared this vision. McGurk assured Rikabi that the U.S. shares the same goals. Rumors of the U.S. wishing to bring the Ba,ath Party back in some reconstituted form are baseless. Rikabi said it would help if we could make this point publicly. ¶5. (C) On overall media coverage of the visit, Rikabi was concerned by the narrative that U.S. commitment to Iraq was &conditional8 on various political steps being taken. He said the Prime Minister will have less political space and maneuvering room if the perception is painted that he is acting at the behest of U.S. pressure -- or to activate agreements that are already in place and binding on both sides. At the same time, the Prime Minister wants to assure the U.S. side (and hopes he did so with the Vice President) that he shares our same vision and is working on reconciliation issues, with the emphasis being the Government Reform Document passed by the parliament -- together with the SA and SFA -- in November 2008. The Prime Minister, Rikabi said, has &got the message8 and he knows there is work to do, but he lamented that the obstacles right now are placed primarily by Massud Barzani. Rikabi confirmed again that the Prime Minister is ready to head to the KRG to meet with Barzani as soon as an invitation is extended. He reaffirmed the Prime Minister,s request for assistance with Barzani on the issue of delaying the proposed constitutional referendum in the KRG. -------------- PM VISIT TO WASHINGTON IS THE NEXT STEP -------------- ¶6. (C) For the visit to Washington, the Prime Minister said he hopes to emphasize the SFA and the benefits to the United States of a strong bilateral relationship. Rikabi reported Maliki was pleased Secretary Clinton was available for the HCC. He would like to lay a wreath at Arlington Cemetery to pay tribute to &shared sacrifice8 -- and emphasize how activating the vision outlined in the SFA could honor the sacrifices both our countries have made. In addition, he offered a proposed schedule of events based on the dates and parameters we provided earlier in the week. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) The visit and internal messages appear to have been received by the Prime Minister. Public statements rejecting U.S. interference or pressure are nothing new (recall Maliki saying prominently in October 2006: &I am not America,s man in Iraq8). Maliki, like all Iraqi leaders, believes he must assert strength and independence in order to ultimately make compromises and move the process. What is important is the internal conversations and a shared agenda which we can then quietly push forward. While some of the media coverage suggesting U.S. pressure or &threats8 has been unfortunate (and inaccurate),we have advanced the goal of setting a shared agenda on reconciliation issues --Arab-Kurd tensions, DIBs, SOI integration. HILL