US embassy cable - 05CAIRO8785

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 CAIRO 008785 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, IZ, EG, PROG, Iraqi, Arab League 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: FIRST TWO DAYS OF AL MEETING MOSTLY 
POSITIVE; "TIMELINE" ON DRAFT AGENDA 
 
REF: A. CAIRO 8704 
     B. CAIRO 8618 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary and Introduction:  The first two days of the 
Arab League (AL) Iraq National Accord Preparatory Meeting has 
gone as expected and mostly well.  Speakers at the opening 
plenary were generally supportive of a democratic, pluralist, 
federal, united Iraq, with the exception of Muslim Ulema 
Council,s (MUC) Harith al-Dari. A later closed session was 
marred by a temporary walkout by the United Iraqi Alliance 
(UIA) and Kurdish Alliance representatives. Working groups on 
preparations for the Baghdad Conference, "confidence building 
measures," and a meeting statement have or will report to a 
plenary session November 21. While some Sunni and Sadrist 
attendees have predictably advocated unhelpful language 
("timeline," and "occupation") in the documents being 
prepared, Kurdish contacts assure us that they and delegates 
from the United Iraqi Alliance will prevent its adoption; UN 
observers are confident that no unhelpful language will be 
adopted.  Moussa and the GOE have done all they promised. 
The Egyptians have welcomed the Iraqi Government officials 
warmly and Mubarak's remarks set the right tone.  Moussa has 
also used his position to push his ventures forward with due 
respect for our redlines.  End Summary. 
 
--------------- 
Opening Session 
--------------- 
 
2. (U) AL SYG Moussa, President Mubarak, President Talabani, 
PM Ja,afari, Abdel Aziz Belkhadem (representing the 
President of Algeria -- current AL Chair, Special 
Representative of the UN Secretary General Ashraf Qazi, 
SCIRI's Hammoudi and Harith al-Dari spoke during the opening 
session on November 19, making predictable points to an 
audience, which included members of the diplomatic community 
and press.  The session was choreographed so the ITG 
representatives had all departed before Hammoudi and Al-Dari 
spoke.  Moussa set out the goals of a free, strong, 
sovereign, peaceful, democratic, modernized and prosperous 
Iraq, highlighting that inclusiveness and compromise are key. 
He condemned acts of terrorism against mosques, 
infrastructure, people of Iraq, and civilians. He emphasized 
that the Arab and Islamic world must help Iraq, including 
through economic assistance, as an Iraqi civil war would hurt 
all Arabs and Muslims. Arab League members must work to help 
Iraqis regain full control of their country and their 
sovereignty. 
 
3. (SBU) Mubarak emphasized that Iraq is a cornerstone of the 
Arab world, and thus that Egypt, the AL and the international 
community must continue to work to help Iraq. Iraq's 
neighbors need to contribute to unity, accord, and 
rebuilding. National accord would be a continuing process; 
and the participation of all Iraqi communities is key to 
solving Iraq's problems and to Iraq's sovereignty. Foreign 
forces should be gradually withdrawn, he said. Iraqi leaders 
must transcend community divisions. Mubarak left immediately 
after his speech, (which miffed some Iraqis). 
 
4. (U) Talabani highlighted that the meeting was intended not 
for dialogue, but to entrench rules for dialogue.  He said 
the best way forward is to broaden political participation. 
Iraq needs to build a multiparty democracy, and Iraq's 
leaders need to take into account the interests of all parts 
of Iraq.  Violence and the destruction of infrastructure had 
left the UN Security Council with no choice but to put Iraq 
"under the military" (Note: We assume this is a reference to 
UNSCR 1483.  End note.), but this has caused confusion and 
inhibited reconstruction.  Thus, national accord is 
necessary.  Accord is not inevitable; it will take work to 
overcome divisions, and Iraq's neighbors must refrain from 
interfering. Accord needs to be based on democracy. The 
process of reaching accord does not include those with blood 
on their hands from the previous regime or terrorists, but 
all other Iraqis. The aim is to end "foreign forces'" 
presence in Iraq, but they are needed now.  The Iraqi 
government is concentrating on building up its security 
forces. Iraq is a key part of the Arab community, he added, 
and seeks peace with all nations, except those who are 
hostile to it. 
 
5. (U) Ja,afari drew heavily from the Quran to describe what 
Iraqi unity should mean; it did not mean that all must agree 
("unity of the minds"), but that all must have "unity of the 
heart" and consult, compromise, and show respect for one 
another. Ethnic and religious minorities must be respected 
and included in the political process. All Arabs have 
resisted actual occupations, and were right to do it; but the 
situation in Iraq now is not an occupation. The current 
government includes members of from all communities. The Arab 
League initiative should have begun much earlier. Iraqis are 
determined to maintain their unity, and everyone, including 
the AL, should help Iraq, condemn terrorism, and respect 
Iraq,s sovereignty, he said. Belkhadem spoke of the key 
place Iraq had in the Arab world, the importance of 
tolerance, and the need for the UN to take a larger role. 
 
6. (U) Qazi, speaking in Arabic, read a statement by SYG 
Annan which pledged continued UN support for Iraq after the 
December election. Qazi went on to emphasize that human 
rights is the foundation for national accord, and that Annan 
had made clear that helping the political process is the 
UN,s priority in Iraq. 
 
7. (U) Hammoudi, introduced as representing Hakim, focused on 
Iraq's constitution, and particularly the rights it laid out, 
as a solid basis for Iraq,s future. Iraq's Islamic majority 
must be respected, but so must religious minorities. Iraq,s 
people, not thugs, now rule Iraq. "Full independence" is a 
top priority for all Iraqis.  Federalism will be protection 
against return of the dictatorships of Iraq's past. 
Terrorism is prolonging the difficulties of the Iraqi people, 
and prolonging MNF-I,s presence.  Bad policies by MNF-I have 
contributed to insurgency, he said, but terrorists are trying 
to kill all descendants of the Prophet and declare war on 
Shia. All parties need to respect human rights. Iraqis have 
been astonished by Arabs' silence on terrorist acts. 
 
8 (U) Al-Dari said the time is ripe for Iraq to regain its 
natural place as a leader in the Arab world. The AL 
initiative is very important, and participants need to be 
candid and transparent. It is useless to ignore that the 
occupation continues, and the continued presence of the 
"occupier" precludes reaching a resolution (a national 
accord).  The claim that the "occupiers" cannot leave until 
Iraqi security forces (ISF) are more capable is a pretext. 
One should not equate terrorism with Iraq's resistance.  The 
MUC condemns terrorism, including the terrorism of 
occupation. The previous Iraqi army must be reconstituted, 
and the UN should investigate human rights abuses by MNF-I 
and ISF.  Al-Dari called upon the people and Congress of the 
U.S. to pressure the administration to withdraw MNF-I, but he 
noted the withdrawal does not have to be immediate. The 
Syrian FM crossed the room to embrace al-Dari immediately 
after his speech. 
 
-------------- 
Second Session 
-------------- 
 
9.  (SBU)  Delegates of the Iraqi political groups returned, 
after a lunch hosted by Mubarak for most principals, to a 
closed plenary session, which the AL secretariat, the AL 
"contact group" and the UN observed. Contacts reported that 
the discussion was lively and mostly civil.  Al-Dari and 
SCIRI's Sheik Jalal El-Din Ali Al-Sagheer reportedly had an 
impassioned debate on the political process. UIA and Kurdish 
alliance delegates walked out temporarily in response to a 
statement by Minas Ibrahim al-Yousef of the Democratic 
Christian Party (Note: Contacts tell us he was a member or 
sympathizer of the Ba'ath party and is in an electoral 
coalition in Ninewa province with National Dialogue Council's 
Saleh Mutlak. End note.)  Al-Yousef, claiming to speak for 
the Chaldean patriarch, said the U.S. wrote the Iraqi 
constitution and insulted the governing coalition.  Saudi FM 
Prince Saud al-Faisal brokered a deal to bring the UIA and 
Kurds back into the proceedings which involved an Amre Moussa 
promise to strike the remarks from the record and Christian 
TNA member Unadim Kana denouncing al-Yosef's statement and 
noting that al-Yosef spoke for no one but himself. 
 
------- 
Day Two 
------- 
 
10.  (SBU)  Working groups on the "confidence building 
measures" and preparations for the Baghdad conference met and 
reported to the plenary session on November 20. Contacts 
report that the "confidence building measures" consist mostly 
of statements of principles, but may also include initiatives 
such as a broad-based group to investigate claims of 
detainees/prisoners in Ministry of Interior custody.  With an 
eye to ensuring that government formation has concluded after 
the December 15 election, delegates have reportedly agreed 
that the Baghdad conference will take place in late February 
or early March. Attendance will be open to all those who 
support Iraqi democracy and unity, and reject terrorism. Some 
Kurdish delegates advocated that attendees must also support 
the Iraqi constitution; but after a two-hour debate, the 
group rejected that proposal. 
 
11.  (SBU)  UN and Iraqi contacts informed S/I and NEA/I TDY 
officers that some participants want to include unhelpful 
language, such as a "timeline for the presence of 
multinational forces," references to an ongoing "occupation" 
and language distinguishing between "terrorism" and 
"resistance" that could be used to legitimize the Iraqi 
violence against MNF-I forces.  However, Kurdish contacts 
assured officers that Kurdish and UIA delegates will not 
allow such language to be adopted.  UN officials, including 
SRSG Qazi, also said they believe the document will not 
contain unhelpful language and may refer to the "MNF-I 
timeline as discussed in UNSCR 1637" (Note: We presume this 
refers to the timeline for review.  End note.).  UN officials 
also said the document may include a statement that 
"terrorism cannot be justified in the name of 'resistance.'" 
End note.) 
 
--------- 
Day Three 
--------- 
 
12.  (SBU)  A working group for drafting a meeting statement 
and plenary will meet on November 21.  Contacts expect the 
proceedings to conclude in the early evening.  Protocol for 
the Arab League told Emboffs that the closing session is not 
open to the public or diplomats. 
 
13.  (SBU)  Comment:  Several of our contacts have noted that 
this setting has presented an opportunity for a dialogue 
among representatives of Iraqi society who do not frequently 
interact and has allowed them to express differing 
perspectives calmly.  SRSG Qazi also suggested that it has 
been an opportunity to educate the Arab League Foreign 
Ministers on the complexity of Iraq's diversity.  To the 
extent that it sets the stage for continued direct dialogue 
among Iraqis of different persuasions and represents a step 
towards greater Arab engagement with the Iraqi government and 
society, it represents progress.  It seems unclear to some 
attendees how the Baghdad conference will relate to the Iraqi 
government and future Council of Representatives.  End 
Comment. 
 
 
RICCIARDONE