(U) KUDOS FOR BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING ON KURDISH

S E C R E T STATE 044193 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2034 TAGS: PINR PGOV IZ SUBJECT: (U) KUDOS FOR BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING ON KURDISH LEADERSHIP (C-IA9-00640) REF: BAGHDAD 000676 Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (C) ANALYSTS GREATLY APPRECIATED POST'S TIMELY REPORT ON NAWSHIRWAN MUSTAFA, DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN. ANALYSTS FOUND THE REPORT VERY USEFUL AND SPECIFICALLY APPRECIATED THE DETAILED BIOGRAPHICAL DATA AND ITS SUPPORT TO UNDERSTANDING MUSTAFA'S MOTIVATION AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, PARTICULARLY HIS EARLY RELATIONSHIP WITH IRAQI PRESIDENT TALABANI IN THE 1970S. ALSO OF GREAT INTEREST WAS MUSTAFA'S VIEW OF KURDISTAN'S PROPER PLACE WITHIN A UNIFIED IRAQ. AS WASHINGTON ANALYSTS ARE TRYING TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE BACKGROUND AND MOTIVATIONS OF IRAQI LEADERS IN ADVANCE OF THE UPCOMING KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT AND NATIONAL ELECTIONS, FURTHER SUCH REPORTING ON IRAQI LEADERS FROM POST WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED, TIME AND RESOURCES PERMITTING. MANY THANKS, AND REGARDS FROM WASHINGTON. CLINTON