US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3620

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003620 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PREL, KDEM, IZ, Elections, National Assembly, Parliament 
SUBJECT: MORE ON DRAFT CONSTITUTION, UNAMI OUTREACH AND 
ELECTION LAW 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) Summary. At a September 3 meeting, the 
Ambassador discussed the draft constitution and 
election law with UK Ambassador Patey, Acting UNAMI 
SRSG Schulenburg, and UNAMI Coordinator for 
Constitution Support Haysom.  All concurred that 
constitutional buy-in by all of Iraq's communities 
will be critical to the success of the Iraqi political 
process.  They also agreed that the time-line for 
public outreach activities must reflect this goal. 
Ambassador encouraged Schulenburg to engage Shia 
leaders Abdul Mehdi and Shahristani in order to move 
the election law forward.  End Summary. 
 
2. (C) The Ambassador reviewed his efforts to elicit 
Sunni support for the constitution process. 
Schulenburg, Patey, and Haysom agreed that Sunni buy- 
in will be critical to the success of the Iraqi 
political process.  All accepted that public outreach 
activities that depend on timely printing and 
distribution of five million copies of the final 
constitution via the public food distribution system 
will have to be delayed and reworked in the light of 
this important goal.  Also, Patey noted that timeline 
pressure is going to be exacerbated because key Iraqi 
leaders will be abroad for much of September.  The way 
forward, all agreed, would be to encourage the 
Constitutional Committee to sign off on the final 
draft no later than a few days past September 20, and 
begin printing and distributing copies of the 
constitution. (Note. These copies would serve as the 
cornerstone of the NGO-led civic outreach campaign, 
intended to reach as much of the Iraqi population as 
possible.  End Note.) 
 
3. (C) Patey said that the recent pullback by 
Shahristani from political agreement on the election 
law appeared to be due to renewed Shia concerns that 
the compensatory system would favor the Kurds.  Also, 
Patey said Shia and Kurds disagree on whether to use 
electoral register or public food distribution data in 
allocating governorate seats.  To resolve the 
potential impasse, all agreed to first bring 
Shahristani back to the original agreement.  Failing 
that, Patey suggested fostering a solution where Shia 
take primacy in determining allocation of governorate 
seats, and Kurds take primacy on the compensatory 
seating mechanism.  Patey noted that the compensatory 
mechanism Shahristani favors would disadvantage 
secular parties like Ayad Allawi's.  To move the 
election law forward, the Ambassador suggested to 
Schulenburg that UNAMI host one of its breakfast 
meetings with Shia leaders Abdul Mehdi and 
Shahristani. (Note. The TNA second reading of the 
election law is expected to take place on September 4, 
with a possible TNA vote on September 8. End note.) 
Khalilzad