US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD2347

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 002347 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, IZ, National Assembly, Sunni Arab 
SUBJECT: THE DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING MAY 19 MEETING WITH 
IRAQ TNA SPEAKER HAJIM HASSANI 
 
Classified By: classified by david m. satterfield, charge d'affaires, f 
 
or reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) PARTICIPANTS: 
U.S. 
--- 
THE DEPUTY SECRETARY 
CHARGE D'AFFAIRES JAMES JEFFREY 
AMBASSADOR RICHARD JONES, COORDINATOR FOR IRAQ 
AMBASSADOR DAVID SATTERFIELD, DCM 
AMBASSADOR ROSS WILSON, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT 
MS. CHRISTINE DAVIES, SPECIAL ASSISTANT 
MS. ROB WALLER, SPECIAL ASSISTANT 
MR. ADMAN ERELI, SPOKESPERSON 
MR. SCOTT CARPENTER, NEA DAS 
MR. PETER GANSER, EMBASSY NOTETAKER 
IRAQ 
---- 
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER HAJIM AL HASSANI 
MR. SABAH TALAT KADRAT, CHIEF OF PROTOCOL 
2. (S) SUMMARY: The Deputy Secretary highlighted to TNA 
Speaker Hassani on May 19 the importance of including Sunni 
Arabs in the constitution development process.  Hassani 
responded that only by adding Sunni representatives to the 
National Assembly's Constitution Drafting Committee would 
Sunnis achieve equal representation.  Hassani confirmed that 
there was support for using the Transitional Administrative 
Law (TAL) as the basis for the new constitution and opined 
that the August 15 deadline would be achievable if the TAL 
was used as the basis.  The Deputy Secretary counseled 
against any extension to the August 15 deadline, as it would 
embolden the insurgency.  The Deputy Secretary urged Hassani 
to keep the Independent Electoral Commission well funded and 
focused for the upcoming referendum.  The Deputy Secretary 
stressed the importance of an ITG public position against 
sectarian violence.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
AN INCLUSIVE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS 
---------------------------------------- 
 
3. (S) The Deputy Secretary urged Speaker Hassani to ensure 
the equal participation of Sunni Arabs in the constitution 
development process.  Sunni inclusion is a critical element 
of creating a new political process in Iraq, said the Deputy 
Secretary, and will help combat the insurgency.  The Deputy 
 
SIPDIS 
Secretary also emphasized the importance of reaching out to 
 
SIPDIS 
and engaging the Iraqi people in the constitution-making 
process as a key process step in any successful constitution 
development process. 
 
4. (S) Speaker Hassani said the TNA had created a 55-member 
constitution drafting committee, only two of whom are Sunnis. 
 The lack of Sunni Arab representation on the committee would 
be problematic stated Hassani, and needs to be rectified. 
Discussions between the Kurds and List 169 members to resolve 
the matter are proceeding with two concepts under 
consideration.  The first concept is a separate 
constitutional commission with full and equal participation 
by Sunni members.  Any draft constitution from the commission 
would require the approval of the full committee.  The second 
concept is a twenty-member consultancy body external to the 
TNA with ten Sunni members.  Under either scenario, Sunnis 
will not receive "full and equal" standing, declared Hassani. 
 Only by expanding the committee to include 29 additional 
Sunni members, or 79 members in total, would the Sunnis 
achieve full and equal participation. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
TAL AS BASIS FOR PERMANENT CONSTITUTION 
--------------------------------------- 
 
5. (S) Deputy Secretary Zoellick spoke of the relevance and 
importance of using the TAL as a basis for the new 
constitution and asked how Hassani saw the August 15 
deadline.  Hassani opined that the August 15 timeline would 
be doable only if the TAL served as the foundation for the 
new permanent constitution.  Two groups, the Kurds and 
Allawi's party, endorse the use of the TAL, stated Hassani, 
and even some List 169 members support the use of the TAL as 
a constitutional foundation.  If the TAL is not used as the 
basis, said Hassani, it would be very difficult to complete 
the draft constitution by August 15.  He added that a 
significant factor affecting the chances for timely 
completion would be whether the Iraqi people engage on the 
constitution's development. 
 
6. (S) The Deputy Secretary cautioned Hassani that he should 
be very circumspect in exercising the use of the extension. 
The work will expand to fill the time of the extension, 
emphasized the Deputy Secretary.  Any slippage in the 
timeline will embolden the insurgency and do harm to the 
interests of the Iraqi government. 
----------------------------------- 
ELECTION FRAMEWORK AND PREPARATIONS 
----------------------------------- 
 
7. (S) Pointing to the significant role the Independent 
Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) will have in supporting 
the political process, the Deputy Secretary urged Hassani to 
keep the IECI well-funded and focused on its work.  Hassani 
indicated that the TNA had just finished establishing its 
rules and committees but will soon reach out to and work 
closely with the IECI to assist them.  Hassani also mentioned 
that the TNA's legal committee would work with the IECI to 
draft a new electoral law.  He added that he would not 
support an extension of the ITG and would press for elections 
in December &with or without a constitution.8 
 
---------------- 
LOCAL GOVERNANCE 
---------------- 
 
8. (S) The Deputy Secretary encouraged Hassani to develop 
political support for the Transitional Government by 
empowering local officials.  Hassani commented that local 
officials in some areas were making progress, but in most 
areas the large political parties dominate the agenda and do 
not allow the emergence of new leadership. 
 
9. (S) Addressing private sector capacity, the Deputy 
Secretary urged Hassani to build the private sector through 
 
SIPDIS 
programs such as a micro-loan program, which could help 
increase employment throughout Iraq.  Hassani agreed with the 
Deputy Secretary that the private sector should receive the 
attention and support of the Iraqi Transitional Government 
(ITG).  Hassani said he would also encourage investors from 
outside Iraq to help develop the private sector. 
 
------------------ 
SECTARIAN VIOLENCE 
------------------ 
 
10. (S) Addressing the recent upswing in sectarian violence 
in Iraq, the Deputy Secretary spoke of the need for religious 
and government leaders in Iraq and the Muslim world to make 
strong public statements condemning sectarian violence and 
those, like Zarqawi, who seek to foment it.  The threat is 
real that this violence could lead to more serious strife 
within Iraq, he warned.  The democratically elected 
government of Iraq has considerable legitimacy and should use 
that political capital to make a clear and forceful statement 
condemning this violence.  The Deputy Secretary noted that 
action, combined with clear and forceful statements, could 
set the proper tone at this critical juncture. 
 
11. (S) Hassani agreed with the Deputy Secretary that 
immediate action was needed to address sectarian violence. 
Observing that the streets of Baghdad are &controlled by 
militias,8 Hassani expressed alarm at rumors of police 
involvement in recent assassinations.  He opined that while 
statements are needed, the ITG also needs to take practical 
steps to head off this strife before it turns into a civil 
war.  There are some who are purposely committing these acts 
for the sole purposes of keeping the Sunnis out of the 
political process, claimed Hassani.  The Deputy Secretary 
assured Hassani the U.S. would do everything possible to help 
identify the perpetrators of the violence and stop it. 
 
-------------- 
Justice Sector 
-------------- 
 
12. (S) The Deputy Secretary spoke of the importance of the 
independent judiciary and rule of law in Iraq and solicited 
the TNA's plans to bolster the justice sector.  Hassani 
agreed with the Deputy Secretary on the need for a strong and 
independent judiciary and opined that some judges, however, 
are still under the influence of the executive branch. 
Pointing to the recent arrests of former Ministers in the 
Interim Government, Hassani indicated that this is an attempt 
by the current government to retaliate against the former 
government of Prime Minister Allawi. 
 
---------------- 
U.S. ) EU SUMMIT 
---------------- 
 
13. (S) Addressing the upcoming E.U. ) U.S. Summit on Iraq, 
the Deputy Secretary emphasized to Hassani the need to have a 
clear and prioritized plan to present to the international 
donor communnity.  While the Summit is not explicitly a donor 
conference, stated the Deputy Secretary, this is Iraq's 
opportunity to reinforce and help its political process via 
international support to key sectors within Iraq such as 
electricity, water, and agriculture. 
Jeffrey