Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10COPENHAGEN41
2010-01-25 15:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Copenhagen
Cable title:
IRAQ: ATTEMPTS TO BAR CANDIDATES FROM
how-toVZCZCXYZ0009 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHCP #0041 0251502 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 251502Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5445 INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0096 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0742 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1596
C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000041
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA-I/POL:WCAVNESS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM IZ DA
SUBJECT: IRAQ: ATTEMPTS TO BAR CANDIDATES FROM
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
REF: STATE 5980
Classified By: Ambassador Laurie S. Fulton; reason 1.4 (b, d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000041
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA-I/POL:WCAVNESS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM IZ DA
SUBJECT: IRAQ: ATTEMPTS TO BAR CANDIDATES FROM
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
REF: STATE 5980
Classified By: Ambassador Laurie S. Fulton; reason 1.4 (b, d)
1. (U) ACTION REQUEST - please see paragraph 4.
2. (C) Denmark shares USG concern about attempts to bar
candidates from upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections,
according to MFA Mideast Department Section Heads Stig Paolo
Piras and Kristian Rasmussen. In response to reftel
demarche, they told A/DCM January 25 that their diplomats in
Baghdad are coordinating closely with the U.S. and UNAMI.
Denmark agrees that transparency is needed; this issue could
jeopardize the election, whose success is important to us
all. Piras remarked that the more sources deliver a
consistent message, the more likely the Iraqis are to listen.
The EU's response, he added, would have been more forceful
if not for the uncertainty surrounding the issue: a Reuters
report January 21 claims more Shia than Sunni candidates are
on the list of 500 recommended for disqualification.
3. (C) Piras said Denmark is one of 16 countries that the
GOI has approached to help with out-of-country voting, and to
which it has presented a proposed MOU. (There are an
estimated 20-25,000 Iraqis in Denmark.) According to
Denmark's information, no country plans to sign the MOU (in
Denmark certain elements would violate the law, e.g.
regarding privacy). That said, the Danes do intend to
provide support as they did in the 2005 elections, e.g. a
police presence for security, and help with getting the word
out to eligible voters. Piras said it would be very helpful
to know the USG's approach to the Iraqi request.
4. (U) Action requested: any information the Department
can provide that we can share with MFA in response to the
query in paragraph 3.
FULTON
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA-I/POL:WCAVNESS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM IZ DA
SUBJECT: IRAQ: ATTEMPTS TO BAR CANDIDATES FROM
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
REF: STATE 5980
Classified By: Ambassador Laurie S. Fulton; reason 1.4 (b, d)
1. (U) ACTION REQUEST - please see paragraph 4.
2. (C) Denmark shares USG concern about attempts to bar
candidates from upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections,
according to MFA Mideast Department Section Heads Stig Paolo
Piras and Kristian Rasmussen. In response to reftel
demarche, they told A/DCM January 25 that their diplomats in
Baghdad are coordinating closely with the U.S. and UNAMI.
Denmark agrees that transparency is needed; this issue could
jeopardize the election, whose success is important to us
all. Piras remarked that the more sources deliver a
consistent message, the more likely the Iraqis are to listen.
The EU's response, he added, would have been more forceful
if not for the uncertainty surrounding the issue: a Reuters
report January 21 claims more Shia than Sunni candidates are
on the list of 500 recommended for disqualification.
3. (C) Piras said Denmark is one of 16 countries that the
GOI has approached to help with out-of-country voting, and to
which it has presented a proposed MOU. (There are an
estimated 20-25,000 Iraqis in Denmark.) According to
Denmark's information, no country plans to sign the MOU (in
Denmark certain elements would violate the law, e.g.
regarding privacy). That said, the Danes do intend to
provide support as they did in the 2005 elections, e.g. a
police presence for security, and help with getting the word
out to eligible voters. Piras said it would be very helpful
to know the USG's approach to the Iraqi request.
4. (U) Action requested: any information the Department
can provide that we can share with MFA in response to the
query in paragraph 3.
FULTON