US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3100

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003100 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, KWMN, IZ, TU, Women's Rights, Sunni Arab 
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER JA'AFARI TO APPOINT TURKMEN SUNNI 
WOMAN AS NEW DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C/NF) Both Prime Minister Ja'afari and President Talabani 
told Ambassador Khalilzad on July 26 that they have decided 
to appoint Aneesah Mohammad Nouri, a Turkmen Sunni woman, to 
the position of Deputy Prime Minister.  They said that KRG 
President Masoud Barzani initially resisted the idea but he 
relented yesterday.  Ja'afari said that Nouri's appointment 
would be officially announced tomorrow. 
 
2. (C/NF) This appointment represents a positive step towards 
improving the Iraqi Government's image in addressing women's 
affairs, especially during the current constitutional debate 
on women's rights.  As a Turkmen, Nouri may prove valuable in 
the Government's bilateral relationship with Turkey. 
Additionally, her Sunni background should provide more 
credibility to the Government's outreach efforts to the Sunni 
community. 
 
3. (C/NF) Comment: Born in Kirkuk, Nouri is a practicing 
OBGYN with no prior known political experience.  She is 
reportedly a member of the Turkmen Consultative Council, an 
advisory board to the Iraqi Turkmen Front.  Despite this 
affiliation, several sources have noted that Nouri is a 
political independent.  She is married to Nawzad Auchi, the 
head of the Auchi Tribe, one of the most well known families 
in Kirkuk. 
Khalilzad