US embassy cable - 05CAIRO4317

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 004317 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ECON, EAID, EG, IZ, Arab League 
SUBJECT: IRAQ:  ARAB LEAGUE TO ATTEND BRUSSELS MINISTERIAL 
AND SUPPORT IRAQ'S POLITICAL PROCESS 
 
REF: STATE 103222 
 
Classified by ECPO Counselor John Desrocher for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C) Post delivered reftel demarche to Arab League 
Secretariat Chief of Staff Hesham Yousef June 7, urging the 
 
SIPDIS 
Arab League and its members to do as much as possible to 
support the Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) in the run-up 
to, and beyond, the June 22 ministerial conference in 
Brussels.  Yousef confirmed receipt of an invitation to the 
Brussels meeting and said that Arab League Secretary General 
Moussa would attend.  Yousef also confirmed recent press 
reports suggesting that the League would establish diplomatic 
representation in Baghdad but would not commit to a date.  He 
noted that it would be easier for the League to encourage its 
member states to open/expand diplomatic ties once the League 
has set up in Baghdad.  Yousef said that Arab specialized 
agencies would meet in Cairo during July where they would 
address an agenda item entitled, "Assistance to the Iraqi 
People."  On inviting a senior Iraqi Government figure to 
address a session of the Arab League, Yousef said that the 
League was prepared to do so.  End summary. 
 
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Arab League Office in Baghdad? 
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2.  (C) During a June 7 meeting with Arab League Chief of 
Staff, Hesham Yousef, Post delivered reftel demarche on 
deliverables for the June 22 Brussels International 
Conference on Iraq, in addition to pressing for regional 
support for advancing the peace process (septel).  On Iraq, 
Yousef confirmed that Arab League Secretary General Amre 
Moussa had told Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari during a May 25 
phone conversation that the League would establish a 
representational office in Baghdad and send a legal expert to 
assist in the constitution-drafting exercise.  Pressed on 
content and timing, Yousef said that the League had committed 
to sending a "permanent delegation" but had not yet 
determined the precise designation (i.e., "a mission, or 
office, etc."), nor the exact timing of their arrival.  He 
said that the League needed to recruit staff for the office - 
not an easy task, he said, due to security concerns. 
 
4.  (C) Poloff urged the League Secretariat to strongly 
encourage its member states to establish diplomatic ties with 
Iraq.  While expressing support, Yousef admitted that the 
League has not pressed hard on this issue since the League 
has yet to establish its own representation inside Iraq. 
Once such representation is present on the ground, he said, 
it will be easier for the League to prompt others to follow 
suit.  He cautioned that League members are reluctant to set 
up in Baghdad due to security fears.  Poloff strongly 
encouraged the League to move as quickly as possible to 
arrange its representation in Baghdad in order to set an 
example for its members to follow. 
 
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League Specialized Agencies to Support Iraq 
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5.  (C) Yousef stressed that the Arab League had communicated 
to the Iraqi Government on several occasions its willingness 
to do "exactly what they request us to do."  Iraqi Foreign 
Minister Zebari had spoken with Moussa on the phone May 25 
and Iraqi MFA senior official Ambassador Hamoud met Moussa in 
Cairo June 2 on the margins of a Steering Group committee 
meeting planning the Brussels conference (septel).  Both 
privately and publicly, the League was stressing a message of 
normalized relations with Iraq.  Citing one example of how 
Moussa was publicly supporting the government in Iraq, Yousef 
said that at the recent Arab-Latin American summit in 
Brasilia, Moussa welcomed in his opening address only one 
President - Iraqi President Talabani.  Similarly, the Arab 
League group of specialized agencies (approximately 22 
agencies in all fields of work) planned to meet in Cairo in 
mid-July.  At this meeting, the League had agreed to add as 
an agenda item, "Assistance to the Iraqi People."  Asked if 
there was anything the USG or Iraq could do to ensure the 
success of this event, Yousef replied that a strong showing 
by senior Iraqi officials and a clear presentation of its 
needs would be most helpful. 
 
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Encouraging Senior Iraqi ITG Figure to Speak at League 
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6.  (C) Responding to reftel talking point regarding inviting 
a senior ITG figure to address a session of the Arab League 
in Cairo, Yousef said that the League was "home to all its 
members," and that all the Iraqis had to do was request such 
a meeting or event.  "This is their house, he added, and they 
are "welcome at any time."  They can address Permanent 
Representatives, the September Council of Ministers meeting, 
or come for a visit at any time, he said.  Poloff urged the 
League to be proactive and seek out an Iraqi leader to 
address the League. 
 
 
Visit Embassy Cairo's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/cairo 
 
You can also access this site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. 
 
GRAY