AMBASSADOR RICE'S MEETING WITH BARZANI IN ERBIL

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002976

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE'S MEETING WITH BARZANI IN ERBIL

Classified By: DCM Robert Ford for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) This is an RRT Erbil cable.


2. (C) Summary: Ambassador Rice met with KRG President
Masoud Barzani in Erbil October 24. She stressed the
importance of holding national elections on time and
including Kirkuk. She pressed for KRG flexibility to allow
for the election law to move forward. Barzani agreed on
the importance of holding elections on time but objected to
making exceptional arrangements for Kirkuk. He also
described the marked improvement in KRG relations with
Turkey. KRG officials urged the U.S. to establish a
consulate in Erbil. End Summary.

Election Law
--------------


3. (SBU) The centerpiece of Ambassador Rice's afternoon in
Erbil was a meeting with KRG President Barzani, who was
joined by senior KRG leadership: incoming and outgoing KRG
Prime Ministers Dr. Barham Salih and Nechirvan Barzani,
Director of Intelligence Masrur Barzani, Minister of
Interior Karim Sinjari, Minister responsible for External
Relations Falah Mustafa Bakir, and Chief of Staff of the
Presidency Dr. Fuad Hussein.


4. (C) Regarding the election law, President Barzani said
certain "people" were not committed to holding elections.
He said it was "meaningless" for Kirkuk to be singled out
and if there are doubts about the electoral lists or who is
eligible, then there should be investigations. With regard
to allegations that 600,000 Kurds had been moved into
Kirkuk, he posed the question, "How could it be possible to
hide such a large number of people?" Barzani said he is
ready to be flexible on the distribution of executive
positions in Kirkuk's provincial administration but it is
the people,s right to vote for their representatives in
parliament. (Note: Barzani's comment in favor of
power-sharing at the provincial level in Kirkuk is a
welcome stance that may provide a starting point for
negotiating a provisional power-sharing arrangement. End
Note.)


5. (C) Ambassador Rice stressed the importance of holding
on-time elections that include Kirkuk and asked President
Barzani to be flexible to find a way forward. She also
asked him to keep the Kurdish Alliance parliamentarians in
Baghdad to be ready for a COR vote on a new election law.
Barzani said that he would do so but if the proposed law
makes an exception for Kirkuk then, "none of them will be
there."

Turnaround in Relations with Turkey
--------------

6. (C) Barzani and his colleagues proudly described the
marked improvement in KRG,s relations with Turkey. Barzani
said annual trade between Turkey and the KR had reached the
USD5 billion level and that there were 400 Turkish
companies active in Kurdistan. Barzani commented that
Turkey,s recent outreach to its domestic Kurds was sound
policy and "we support it" (details on Turkish FM's October
30 visit to Erbil reported septel). When Ambassador Rice
asked how the KRG turned the situation around, Barzani said
the KRG did nothing to harm Turkish interests, encouraged
Turkish companies to come and proved that the KRG was no
threat to Turkish interests. Ambassador Rice commended the
KRG and GOT leadership.

Opening a U.S. Consulate?
--------------


7. (C) Incoming and outgoing KRG PMs Dr. Barham Salih and
Nechirvan Barzani raised the issue of the U.S. opening a
consulate in Erbil, noting that the Iranians and Russians,
among others, have one, and the Turks soon will. CDA Ford
said the Administration is reviewing plans for its future
posture in Iraq but that no decisions had been taken yet.

Citadel Visit and Microfinance Project
--------------


8. (C) Ambassador Rice visited the Erbil Citadel for a
Q8. (C) Ambassador Rice visited the Erbil Citadel for a
performance of Kurdish folk dancing and a tour of the
RRT-financed textile museum. She stopped at a pizzeria that
had been financed by a micro-loan from a bank (al-Thiqa)
created as part of a USAID microfinance program (the
non-governmental organization ACDI-VOCA created the bank,
provided it with capital and provides it with continuing
advice). ACDI-VOCA and local staff briefed the Ambassador on
their successful microfinance program. The Ambassador,s
visit received substantial ) and very positive ) press
coverage in the local media.
HILL