US embassy cable - 04ANKARA5844

UNCLAS ANKARA 005844 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, IZ, TU 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: VICE PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL COUNCIL 
REPORTS ON ELECTION PLANS, KIRKUK 
 
1. Summary: Hamid Majid Musa, Vice President of the 
Iraqi National Council, told Ankara-based diplomats 
that January 2005 elections were on track despite the 
insurgency.  On Kirkuk, he said that if the TAL- 
established Iraqi Property Claims Commission fails to 
resolve the population distribution issues in Kirkuk, 
the UN would need to do so.  End summary. 
 
2. On Sept. 25, the Vice President of the Iraqi 
National Council, Hamid Majid Musa, provided a one-hour 
briefing for Ankara diplomats on the current situation 
in Iraq.  PMA FSN attended.  Majid Musa criticized the 
media for not reflecting the truth about Iraq's 
improving security situation.  He said national 
elections planned for January would take place despite 
the flaring insurgency.  Majid Musa acknowledged that 
there had been security problems in the northwest of 
Iraq, but he believed that would not prevent people 
from voting.  He called on Iraq's friends to support 
these elections. 
 
3. Majid Musa reported that the 100-member National 
Council has prepared draft legislation on Iraq's 
political structures, including the status of political 
parties.  He explained that the Ministry of Planning 
would register all political parties and that parties 
with 500 signatures would enter the parliamentary 
election.  The process will exclude ex-Baath Party 
members and politicians (whatever the name of their 
party). 
 
4. He further explained that Iraqis would also vote for 
local province officials on the same day. According to 
Majid Musa the Election Committee would decide on who 
was eligible to vote in terms of nationality and age by 
consulting the records of the Ministry of Planning, 
information on oil-for-food cards, and population 
records. Iraqis living abroad would be able to vote at 
functioning Iraqi Embassies. Majid Musa indicated that 
ideally they preferred having nomination of all parties 
(i.e. secular democratic parties currently with 60 
seats and Islamist parties with 40 seats) in one list; 
if not in 2???? Majid Musa expressed that the reason 
for dividing political parties into the 2 mentioned 
groups was reducing power of Islamic groups in order to 
prevent formation of an Islamic government. 
 
 
5. Regarding Kirkuk, Majid Musa stated that the 
Transitional Administrative Law had assigned the Iraqi 
Property Claims Commission (IPCC) to deal with the 
situation of Kirkuk, including repatriation and 
population movements.  In case the commission could not 
solve the Kirkuk issue, the UN would be assigned to 
solve it.  According to Majid Musa, a census of Kirkuk 
would be completed before October 16. 
 
6. In response to a question regarding situation of 
Feili Kurds, who had been expelled to Iran and were 
stateless, Majid Musa indicated that the TAL offered 
protection to them by providing them with identity 
cards as well as employment opportunities, and the 
possibility of having their property restored to them. 
 
7. Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
EDELMAN