US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4096

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 004096 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2015 
TAGS: PREL, LE, LY, IZ, Parliament, Security 
SUBJECT: MFA DISAPPOINTED WITH LIBYAN VISIT 
 
REF: TRIPOLI 243 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission David M. Satterfield 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: There were no specific discussions on 
upgrading diplomatic relations during the Sept 24-25 
Libyan delegation visit to Baghdad, much to the 
disappointment of the Iraqi MFA.  The delegation, 
primarily of Qadhafi relatives, offered condolences to 
President Talabani, PM Jaafari, and Minister of 
Interior Jabr for the almost 1000 deaths from the 
August 31 stampede on the A'imma Bridge.  They 
contributed 24 million Iraqi dinars ($18,000 US) to 
the al-Kadhimiya mosque foundation and asked for the 
names of the 1,300 families who were affected by the 
tragedy in order to provide direct assistance.  Iraqi 
National Security Advisor Rubaie told DCM September 29 
that the real reason for Libyan overtures to Iraq, 
especially the Shia, was the hope that Grand Ayatollah 
Sistani would declare Libya innocent of involvement in 
the 1978 disappearance of Imam Musa Sadr.  End 
Summary. 
 
2. (C)  The nine-member Libyan delegation, on an 
unofficial visit, was headed by Mufta A'dlew, Chairman 
of the Al-Refi Bank.  All but one member of the group 
were from Qadhafi's clan and demanded VIP treatment 
during their visit.  They had planned to stay eight 
days but left after two.  Much to the disappointment 
of the Iraqi MFA, which had hoped the delegation would 
discuss the opening of an embassy in Baghdad, the 
entire visit focused on the August 31 A'imma Bridge 
tragedy, in which almost 1000 Shia Iraqis on a 
religious procession died.  According to the Iraqi MFA 
official who sat in on all the meetings, there was 
only general talk about improving relations. 
 
3. (SBU) The group visited President Talabani, Prime 
Minister Jaafari, and Interior Minister Jabr to offer 
condolences.  They went to the site of the tragedy and 
the nearby al-Kadhimiya mosque, contributing 24 
million Iraqi dinars ($18,000 US) to the mosque 
foundation.  They also asked for the names of all 
1,300 families that suffered in the tragedy in order 
to provide them with direct financial assistance. 
 
4. (C) Iraqi National Security Advisor Mouaffaq Rubaie 
told DCM on September 29 that the real reason for the 
Libyan visit was to improve relations with Iraqi Shia 
as a way of gaining support from Grand Ayatollah 
Sistani.  Two months earlier, Qadhafi had sent an 
intermediary to Sistani asking for a fatwa exonerating 
Qadhafi in the case of the "disappeared" Shia Imam 
Musa Sadr, who vanished during a 1978 visit to 
Tripoli.  Sistani declined the request, but Rubaie 
appears convinced that he could bring Sistani around 
through gestures such as donations for the A'imma 
Bridge disaster and improving relations with "Shia" 
Iraq.  Rubaie noted to DCM that Lebanese Speaker Nabih 
Berri had gotten wind of Qadhafi's intentions and had 
called "nearly hysterical" to plead for Sistani's 
rejection of the Libyan request for absolution in the 
Musa Sadr case -- which Berri has championed for 
decades as a means of enhancing his authority and 
(highly dubious) legitimacy as Sadr's "heir." 
Khalilzad