US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD2830

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002830 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2025 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KDEM, IZ, National Assembly, Sunni Arab 
SUBJECT: SUNNI ARABS OFFICIALY WELCOMED INTO TNA 
CONSTITUTION DRAFTING AS DOUBTS PERSIST 
 
 
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires David M. Satterfield for Reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d) 
 
1. (U) Deputy Speaker Husayn Shahristani announced the 
expansion of the constitution drafting committee at the July 
4 session of the Transitional National Assembly (TNA).  The 
announcement amounted to an induction for the 15 Sunni Arabs 
and one Sabean nominated from outside the Assembly to join 
the constitution drafting process as core members.  Thirteen 
other Sunni Arabs nominated as expert advisors are also now 
free to begin their work.  Deputy Constitution Committee 
Chairman Adnan al-Janabi confirmed the announcement in a 
press conference he held during a break in the TNA session. 
 
2. (U) The TNA Constitution Drafting Committee and additional 
representatives will work together as equal members in the 
"Supreme Commission for the Drafting of the Constitution," 
according to the announcement. The additional Sunni Arabs and 
one Sabean, Subhi Mubarak Mal Allah, are set to meet the 
original members of the constitution committee on July 5 to 
get to know one other and receive a report on the work 
completed to date.  The new members will be given the 
opportunity to re-open items for discussion and distribute 
themselves among the committee's six committees. 
Constitution Committee Chairman Humam Hamudi told reporters 
July 5 that he did not want this new step to prevent the 
committee from meeting its August 15 deadline.  "We hope that 
the new participation of those who did not participate in the 
elections will not obstruct the work of the committee or slow 
it," he said, "so we have arranged a set of intensive 
meetings to continue the work." 
 
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Comment 
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3. (C)  Yesterday's announcement is a big step forward for 
Sunni outreach and comes after heavy engagement from the U.S. 
and British governments.  We have seen media reports that two 
of the 15 new Sunni Arab full committee members, and one of 
the thirteen Sunni Arab consultants, have withdrawn.  Our 
contacts among the Sunni Arabs tell us that they are trying 
to ensure all members named on the list stay on the committee. 
 
4.  (C)  The reservations that held up the inclusion of the 
28 Sunnis, however, have by no means vanished.  We will have 
to watch all parties to the process closely to make sure the 
announcement today is implemented fairly.  The 
de-Ba'athification investigation that delayed the induction 
has not ended.  The Shia and Kurds could well place it like a 
gun on the table to scare obstructionist Sunni Arab 
representatives into line.  Hamudi has also said that the 
committee will continue holding open weekly meetings with 
Sunni Arab leaders and others who are not on the committee 
but wish to hear updates on its work and contribute their 
views.  The attendees at those meetings will clearly form a 
pool of alternate members that the committee can pull in 
should some of the new representatives withdraw in protest. 
Deputy Constitution Committee Chairman Fuad Ma'asum, deeply 
suspicious that the new inductees have entered only to 
withdraw, told Poloff that he was moving forward with plans 
to crown the constitution drafting process with a 
"Constitutional Conference" that draws in notables from 
across Iraqi society to approve the final document with a 
show of unanimity. 
 
5. (U) REO HILLA, REO BASRA, REO MOSUL, and REO KIRKUK, 
minimize considered. 
Satterfield