US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3079

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003079 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, IZ, Kurdistan Democratic Party KDP, Kuristan Regional Government 
SUBJECT: TOP KURDISH LEADER PLEDGES FLEXIBILITY ON KIRKUK 
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT 
 
REF: KIRKUK 142 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission David M. Satterfield for reasons 
 
 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C)  On July 21 Kurdish Regional President and KDP leader 
Masood Barzani told DCM that he wanted to bring the 
contentious question of appointments to the Kirkuk provincial 
government to a close.  He said the KDP would accept four 
Arabs and Turkmen for the four positions in dispute: deputy 
governor, Kirkuk mayor, and heads of the appointments and 
reconstruction councils.  Barzani had one condition.  The 
four persons chosen must accept the TAL; in particular, the 
implementation of Article 58 about Kirkuk. 
 
2.  (C)  In his July 23 meeting with the Ambassador, 
President Talabani, who is also the leader of the Kurdish PUK 
party, confirmed that the Kurds would be flexible on these 
appointments as long as those chosen by the Turkmen and Arabs 
respected the TAL.  Talabani mentioned only in passing that 
at least three of the four positions could go to Arabs and 
Turkmen.  Talabani emphasized again that the province's 
long-term future should not be decided until several years. 
He hinted that not all Kurds (i.e., the KDP) agree with him. 
 
3.  (C)  It is important that the Arabs and Turkmen end their 
boycott of the Provincial Council, and that the province's 
government be stabilized.  Embassy and REO Kirkuk will 
continue to prod the Arab and Turkmen political leaders in 
Kirkuk to find reputable candidates for the positions in 
dispute.  We will drive home the point to the KDP and PUK 
that the deal is for all four positions.  It will be easier 
to negotiate individual Arabs and Turkmen for these positions 
now that Barzani has accepted in principle to cede the 
positions to them.  There may still be a problem with local 
Kurds taking a tougher line than Barzani, as indicated in 
reftel.  We will make it clear to the Kurds that the 
immediate resolution of the Kirkuk government problem is an 
issue distinct from that of the province's long-term future. 
 
4.    (C) FOR REO KIRKUK: Post is requested to engage with 
key KDP, PUK, Turkmen and Arab Provincial Council figures to 
press on closing the "deal" ostensibly accepted by Barzani 
and Talabani. 
 
5.    (U) REO HILLAH, REO KIRKUK, REO MOSUL, REO BASRAH 
minimize considered. 
Khalilzad