UNAMI ON DE-BA'ATHIFICATION ISSUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000414

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2020
TAGS: KDEM PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: UNAMI ON DE-BA'ATHIFICATION ISSUE

Classified By: Political Counselor Yuri Kim for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Previewing SRSG Melkert,s February 16 report to the
UNSC, Deputy SRSG said Melkert would likely express concern
about the lack of transparency in the de-Ba'athification
campaign but caution against making a determination at this
time on the legitimacy and credibility of Iraq's electoral
process. D/SRSG said UNAMI and the USG should increase
pressure on all parties to improve transparency and ensure
rule of law, but that UNAMI considered it premature to exert
pressure publicly. D/SRSG said UNAMI would appeal to the
wisdom of Iraq's political leadership to find consensus that
will enable the election to move forward on time and in a
transparent manner. End Summary.

UNAMI Will Press in Private, Not Public
--------------


2. (C) UNAMI Deputy SRSG for Political Affairs Jerzy
Skuratowicz told PolCouns February 14 that SRSG Ad Melkert
would likely express to the UNSC on February 16 concern over
some aspects of the electoral process that showed lack of
transparency, such as the recent de-Ba,athification
campaign, but would likely avoid a statement at this point
that judged the legitimacy and credibility of Iraq's
electoral process. Melkert would likely say "it was not yet
the time to judge" the process in Iraq, and he would
encourage patience in the last three weeks before Iraq's
parliamentary election on March 7.


3. (C) Skuratowicz agreed with PolCouns on the need to
continue to increase pressure on all parties strongly to
ensure more transparency in the political process and
discourage actions that could erode perceptions of the
credibility and legitimacy of the vote on March 7. He said
UNAMI would appeal to the wisdom of Iraq's political
leadership to find consensus that would enable the election
to move forward on time and in a transparent manner.

Predicting Mutlaq's Next Move
--------------


4. (C) Skuratowicz said UNAMI did not plan to make any
public statements on the disqualification of Salih al-Mutlaq
or de-Ba'athification at this time. UNAMI would, however,
continue engaging key leaders in private to reinforce the
importance of rule of law, inclusiveness, and transparency
throughout Iraq's election period. By supporting the
process, and perhaps encouraging Mutlaq to consider an appeal
to the Federal Supreme Court, it would be possible to keep
elections on track without making Mutlaq feel abandoned.


5. (C) UNAMI Political Affairs Officer Marwan Ali cautioned
that it was too soon to say how Mutlaq might react to
exclusion from the March election. PolCouns agreed that
Iraqiyya coalition leaders and others feared that Mutlaq, if
he felt abandoned, might turn against his coalition partners
and discredit them ahead of March 7. Ali added that various
contacts, including Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, had
expressed concerns that de-Ba'athification was not yet over,
and that additional efforts to discredit senior politicians
as "Ba'athists" might continue even after March 7. Ali
cautioned that the Accountability and Justice Commission was
an institution that could "come back to life at any time."
Noting that the lack of transparency during the
de-Ba'athification of candidates was feeding an environment
of fear, PolCouns stressed that the EMBASSY and UNAMI must
redouble efforts to ensure the rule of law and the future
credibility and legitimacy of the election as we move toward
March 7.
FORD