Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAGHDAD507
2009-02-26 15:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
NAJAF: GOVERNOR OPTIMISTIC ON U.S.-IRAQI
how-toVZCZCXRO3479 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHGB #0507/01 0571518 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 261518Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1897 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000507
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON KIRF IZ
SUBJECT: NAJAF: GOVERNOR OPTIMISTIC ON U.S.-IRAQI
RELATIONS, ELECTION RESULTS
Classified By: Classified by: Senior Advisor Gordon Gray for reasons 1
.4 (b) and (d).
-------
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000507
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON KIRF IZ
SUBJECT: NAJAF: GOVERNOR OPTIMISTIC ON U.S.-IRAQI
RELATIONS, ELECTION RESULTS
Classified By: Classified by: Senior Advisor Gordon Gray for reasons 1
.4 (b) and (d).
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) In a February 23 meeting, Najaf Governor As,ad abu
Gulal appeared upbeat about the January 31 provincial
election results and the Iraqi-U.S. relationship. Once the
election results are certified, he expects the Provincial
Council to be seated quickly and confided the Council may ask
him to stay on as Governor. He stated he was in favor of
the Iraq-U.S. Security Agreement, and would like to see the
U.S. focus in Iraq shift from military to civilian
assistance. End summary.
--------------
Provincial Elections: Symbol of Progress
--------------
2. (C) Najaf,s Governor As,ad abu Gulal told Senior
Advisor Gordon Gray, Provincial Reconstruction Team officers,
and emboffs February 23 that January,s peaceful elections
were an important symbol of Iraq,s progress. Turnout for
Najaf was 53 percent, slightly above the national average.
The newly-elected 28 member Provincial Council will have a
diverse mix, led by Da,wa (seven seats),ISCI (seven seats),
and Sadrists (six seats). The Governor said that Da,wa
would not take a leadership role in the province because it
wants to avoid the associated electoral vulnerability in the
run-up to the national elections later this year.
3. (C) In the large meeting, the Governor said that his
successor would be an Islamist, but over lunch he confided to
the Senior Advisor that he was likely to be asked to stay on
as Governor. When asked if he would serve, he replied "if
the people of Najaf want me, I will not say no." He
intimated there were family reasons to stay in Najaf,
notwithstanding his professed preference for an
ambassadorship. (Comment: He is well-liked and respected,
so we assess there is a good chance he will remain Governor.
End comment.)
4. (C) Although the Independent High Electoral Commission
will postpone certifying the results until March 10, the
Governor expected that it would not take long after the
certification for coalitions to be cemented, and he
anticipated the new Provincial Council (PC) would be seated
within a week to ten days.
--------------
Security Agreement, U.S.-Iraqi Relations
--------------
5. (C) When asked for his thoughts on the Security Agreement,
the Strategic Framework Agreement, and the future of the U.S.
presence in Iraq, the Governor was positive but somewhat
vague. He replied that Najaf,s clerical leadership had
supported the agreements, "directly or indirectly," thereby
facilitating their acceptance. He also said that "several
U.S. concessions" were important. The Governor described the
resort to a vote by the Council of Representatives as the
Shi,a "solution" to Sunni political maneuvering designed to
box in the Shi,a. He also said if Shi,a had not supported
the Security Agreement, they would have been accused of
voting on Iran,s behalf.
6. (C) Looking ahead at what the Governor expects from the
U.S.-Iraqi relationship, he replied that the U.S. should move
from military to civilian assistance through re-construction
and capacity building, to development and investment. He
compared the future of Iraq to how Germany and Japan
developed after World War II.
--------------
Religious Freedom for Iraq,s Shi,a
--------------
7. (C) The Governor praised the U.S. for allowing
celebrations of the Arba,een holiday, which had been
Qcelebrations of the Arba,een holiday, which had been
prohibited under Saddam, and came back to this point again.
On the margins, one Provincial Council member told emboff he
was thankful the U.S. military got rid of Saddam, allowing
the Shi,a population in Iraq to worship freely, celebrate
Shi,a holidays, and make pilgrimages to the holy cities of
Najaf and Karbala.
--------------
Comment
--------------
BAGHDAD 00000507 002 OF 002
8. (C) The Governor painted a rosy picture of the future of
the Provincial Council and U.S.-Iraqi relations. His
unremarkable comments on the Security Agreement are typical
of attitudes in the south, where the issue did not resonate
as it did in Baghdad. For the time being, his priority
appears to remain investment and economic development in and
around Najaf to create jobs and expand religious and
non-religious tourism. End comment.
BUTENIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON KIRF IZ
SUBJECT: NAJAF: GOVERNOR OPTIMISTIC ON U.S.-IRAQI
RELATIONS, ELECTION RESULTS
Classified By: Classified by: Senior Advisor Gordon Gray for reasons 1
.4 (b) and (d).
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) In a February 23 meeting, Najaf Governor As,ad abu
Gulal appeared upbeat about the January 31 provincial
election results and the Iraqi-U.S. relationship. Once the
election results are certified, he expects the Provincial
Council to be seated quickly and confided the Council may ask
him to stay on as Governor. He stated he was in favor of
the Iraq-U.S. Security Agreement, and would like to see the
U.S. focus in Iraq shift from military to civilian
assistance. End summary.
--------------
Provincial Elections: Symbol of Progress
--------------
2. (C) Najaf,s Governor As,ad abu Gulal told Senior
Advisor Gordon Gray, Provincial Reconstruction Team officers,
and emboffs February 23 that January,s peaceful elections
were an important symbol of Iraq,s progress. Turnout for
Najaf was 53 percent, slightly above the national average.
The newly-elected 28 member Provincial Council will have a
diverse mix, led by Da,wa (seven seats),ISCI (seven seats),
and Sadrists (six seats). The Governor said that Da,wa
would not take a leadership role in the province because it
wants to avoid the associated electoral vulnerability in the
run-up to the national elections later this year.
3. (C) In the large meeting, the Governor said that his
successor would be an Islamist, but over lunch he confided to
the Senior Advisor that he was likely to be asked to stay on
as Governor. When asked if he would serve, he replied "if
the people of Najaf want me, I will not say no." He
intimated there were family reasons to stay in Najaf,
notwithstanding his professed preference for an
ambassadorship. (Comment: He is well-liked and respected,
so we assess there is a good chance he will remain Governor.
End comment.)
4. (C) Although the Independent High Electoral Commission
will postpone certifying the results until March 10, the
Governor expected that it would not take long after the
certification for coalitions to be cemented, and he
anticipated the new Provincial Council (PC) would be seated
within a week to ten days.
--------------
Security Agreement, U.S.-Iraqi Relations
--------------
5. (C) When asked for his thoughts on the Security Agreement,
the Strategic Framework Agreement, and the future of the U.S.
presence in Iraq, the Governor was positive but somewhat
vague. He replied that Najaf,s clerical leadership had
supported the agreements, "directly or indirectly," thereby
facilitating their acceptance. He also said that "several
U.S. concessions" were important. The Governor described the
resort to a vote by the Council of Representatives as the
Shi,a "solution" to Sunni political maneuvering designed to
box in the Shi,a. He also said if Shi,a had not supported
the Security Agreement, they would have been accused of
voting on Iran,s behalf.
6. (C) Looking ahead at what the Governor expects from the
U.S.-Iraqi relationship, he replied that the U.S. should move
from military to civilian assistance through re-construction
and capacity building, to development and investment. He
compared the future of Iraq to how Germany and Japan
developed after World War II.
--------------
Religious Freedom for Iraq,s Shi,a
--------------
7. (C) The Governor praised the U.S. for allowing
celebrations of the Arba,een holiday, which had been
Qcelebrations of the Arba,een holiday, which had been
prohibited under Saddam, and came back to this point again.
On the margins, one Provincial Council member told emboff he
was thankful the U.S. military got rid of Saddam, allowing
the Shi,a population in Iraq to worship freely, celebrate
Shi,a holidays, and make pilgrimages to the holy cities of
Najaf and Karbala.
--------------
Comment
--------------
BAGHDAD 00000507 002 OF 002
8. (C) The Governor painted a rosy picture of the future of
the Provincial Council and U.S.-Iraqi relations. His
unremarkable comments on the Security Agreement are typical
of attitudes in the south, where the issue did not resonate
as it did in Baghdad. For the time being, his priority
appears to remain investment and economic development in and
around Najaf to create jobs and expand religious and
non-religious tourism. End comment.
BUTENIS