TAWWAFUQ BLOC LEADER ENTHUSIASTIC ON CODE OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000423

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2020
TAGS: KDEM PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: TAWWAFUQ BLOC LEADER ENTHUSIASTIC ON CODE OF
CONDUCT, WORRIED ABOUT ELECTIONS SECURITY

REF: A. REF: A. BAGHDAD 320

B. REF: B. BAGHDAD 333

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

1.(C) SUMMARY: Osama al-Tikriti, leader of the "Al-Tawwafuq"
bloc and Iraqi Islamic Party Secretary General, expressed
appreciation for the February 16 press statement by the UNSC
Presidency. He told PolCouns he was enthusiastic about a
proposed "Code of Conduct" agreement among political parties
for upcoming elections. Tikriti expected his party to do
well in elections. However, he worried about elections
security, noting recent assassinations and detentions of IIP
supporters. On Salah ad-Din, Tikriti derided Provincial
Council chairman Abu Mazen as unqualified and corrupt. END
SUMMARY.

2.(C) Osama al-Tikriti, leader of the "Al-Tawwafuq" electoral
bloc and Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP) Secretary General, told
PolCouns February 17 that he would "do his best" to support a
proposed "Code of Conduct" agreement in which Iraqi parties
would emphasize support for the rule of law in Iraq's
electoral process. "Any meeting like this would help,"
Tikriti said. PolCouns shared with Tikriti a copy of the
February 16 press statement by the UNSC Presidency,
underscoring that the United States and the rest of the
international community were deeply interested in ensuring
that Iraq's electoral process is transparent, fair, and
inclusive and that parties respect the rule of law.

3.(C) Tikriti was upbeat and felt that the IIP would do well
in upcoming elections, but he worried about security at
polling places due to "infiltration" of the Iraqi security
services. He was concerned that recent assassinations in
Baghdad and Mosul, as well as imprisonment of IIP supporters
in Diyala and Salah ad-Din, could affect the IIP's electoral
performance. He promised to provide Embassy with details of
the alleged incidents, and urged U.S. assistance to ensure
safe and unbiased elections. PolCouns stressed that while
the GOI was in the lead, U.S. Forces were working closely
with Iraqi Security Forces to ensure the safety and security
of the elections. She also cited the USG's plan to deploy
monitors to all 18 provinces as a measure in support of
legitimate and credible elections.

4.(C) Tikriti identified security and services as the two
main issues in his campaign. Average Iraqis were not seeing
improvements in their lives because of what Tikriti called
the "disappointing" performance of the current Iraqi
leadership. He said that an over-concentration of power in
the prime minister's office, corruption, and the continuing
presence of militias was hampering the government's
effectiveness and its delivery of services. IIP would likely
wait to form alliances with other blocs until after
elections, according to Tikriti.

5.(C) On the continuing governor crisis in Salah ad-Din (REFS
A and B),Tikriti offered no solution, keeping his comments
to accuse Provincial Council Chairman Abu Mazen of having a
fraudulent high school diploma, covering up an arrest record,
and engaging in corrupt practices while in office.
FORD