US embassy cable - 05CAIRO5305

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 005305 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, IZ, Arab League 
SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE STILL HOPING TO OFFER CONSTITUTIONAL 
ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ 
 
REF: STATE 124857 
 
Classified by Economic-Political Counselor John Desrocher for 
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C)  In response to reftel demarche, Arab League 
spokesman Hossam Zaki told PolOff July 12 that the League had 
been trying to facilitate the participation of legal experts 
in Iraq's constitution drafting process.  With the 
assassination of the Egyptian ambassador in Baghdad, 
according to Zaki, Secretary General Moussa was having a 
difficult time lining up volunteers.  PolOff noted reftel 
emphasis on assistance inside Iraq as opposed to overseas; 
Zaki acknowledged that the League sought to support an 
internal Iraqi process and agreed that the work should be 
done inside Iraq.  He said the Secretary General wanted "one 
or two" experts to assist the Iraqis as needed. 
 
2.  (C)  Zaki did not think that a DVC between experts 
outside Iraq and the drafters in Baghdad was a meaningful 
alternative to working together in the same facility.  He 
lamented that the security situation worked to inhibit travel 
to Iraq, yet noted the League's interest in a timely drafting 
process. 
 
3.  (C)  The concept of establishing an Arab League office in 
Iraq was still being discussed, according to Zaki (and had 
been discussed by the Secretary General in Brussels on June 
22), but was facing some political opposition from inside 
Iraq.  Without offering many specifics, Zaki made it clear 
that Iranian interests were working against a League 
presence.  He said establishment of a League office was not 
linked to assistance in the constitution drafting process, 
although an ongoing presence might facilitate other areas of 
assistance to Iraq. 
 
 
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. 
 
CORBIN