SPEAKER SAMARRAI'E HOPES FOR QUICK RESOLUTION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000277

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2020
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: SPEAKER SAMARRAI'E HOPES FOR QUICK RESOLUTION OF
DE-BA'ATH DISPUTE BY COURT

REF: BAGHDAD 0200

Classified By: Acting DCM Gary A. Grappo for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Council of Representatives (COR) Speaker
Samarrai'e noted his concern about the delay in resolving
the current de-Ba,athification dispute, stressing that
current public passions made a political settlement very
difficult. On the future of the Presidency Council,
Samarra,ie
conceded that it was unlikely that the COR would approve an
amendment extending the veto power of Presidency Council in
the current COR,s term, though he held out hope that such an
amendment might occur in the next COR. He reiterated
interest
in a trip to the United States before the March 7 election to
meet with House Speaker Pelosi. ACTION REQUEST in paragraph
five.
End summary.

Accountability and Justice Commission actions
--------------


2. (C) COR Speaker Iyad al-Samarrai'e told A/DCM on January
26 of his concern about delays to the election process
caused by the de-Ba'athification controversy. He said the
PM, President and he had discussed the matter on January
23, immediately following VP Biden,s meeting with Talabani
on that same day. He stated that the PM had stressed that
public and political party passions against Ba,athism were
too strong to permit a political deal to resolve the
matter. Samarra'ie observed that the issue would be best
resolved through the legal appeals process. (NOTE: Other
details of this meeting related to de-Ba'athification
reported reftel. End note.)

Future of Presidency Council
--------------


3. (C) Samarrai'e noted, with displeasure, that it was
unlikely that the COR would approve a constitutional
amendment extending the existence of the Presidency
Council. Instead, per the constitution, the Presidency
Council would cease to exist and become the office of the
President in the new government. He said there would also
be a single Vice President. He was unsure whether the
President
would retain veto power over legislature.


4. (C) He assessed that with no Presidential veto, there
would be no check on the legislative power of the COR until
the Federation Council was established or an amendment was
passed reestablishing the Presidency Council. He stated
there was doubt as to whether the current constitutional
amendment process requiring only a majority vote in the COR
and approval by 16 of the 18 provinces would still be in
effect after the conclusion of this COR term. (Note: After
the end of this COR term, the amendment process appears to
require a two-thirds majority vote in the COR and approval
by referendum of 16 of the 18 provinces. End note).
Samarrai'e said he believed the current (easier) amendment
procedures would continue to be valid.

Visit to U.S. for Speaker Pelosi meeting
--------------


5. (C) Samarrai'e noted that his planned visit to the
United States to meet with House of Representative Speaker
Pelosi had been postponed because of difficulties in
passing the election law. He reiterated his interest in
the trip and a meeting with Speaker Pelosi, ideally prior
to the March 7 parliamentary elections.

ACTION REQUEST: Post requests Department,s guidance on
Samarraie,s proposed visit to Washington this month and
meeting
with Speaker Pelosi.
HILL