US embassy cable - 05DAMASCUS6344

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 006344 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, SY, IZ, IRPE 
SUBJECT: IRAQ OUT-OF-COUNTRY VOTING COMMISSION RACING 
AGAINST THE CLOCK 
 
REF: A. DAM 6166 
     B. DAM 6256 
     C. DAM 548 
 
1.  Summary:  Members of the Independent Electoral Commission 
of Iraq (IECI) explained details of out-of-country (OCV) 
voting arrangements for Iraqis in Syria during a December 6 
press conference in Damascus.  Questions included queries 
about Syrian-Iraq relations and the IECI's independence.  The 
Canadian Embassy has taken the lead on organizing 
international election monitors.  End summary. 
 
2.  More than 100 people attended a December 6 press 
conference by IECI to elaborate on OCV arrangements (outlined 
in refs a & b).  According to the panel: 
 
-- An 11th voting center, to be located in Aleppo, was added 
to the list of ten others in Damascus. 
 
-- There are 144,000 ballots allotted for Syria, although the 
IECI has no idea of how many Iraqis will participate in the 
December 13-15 voting.  (Note:  In the OCV elections held in 
Syria this past January, fewer than 15,000 Iraqis voted, as 
reported in ref c.) 
 
-- The SARG is providing security for the IECI office in 
Damascus and for voting centers on election days. 
 
-- The SARG authorized the IECI's public campaign to 
encourage Iraqis to vote.  (Note:  Posters have gone up 
around Damascus in the last two days.) 
 
-- IECI officials are explaining registration and voting 
procedures to Iraqi citizens in predominately Iraqi 
neighborhoods in Damascus. 
 
-- Media and international observers will be present at 
voting centers. 
 
3.  During the question-and-answer session, the British 
editor of Syria Today magazine asked how Iraqi officials in 
Baghdad could accuse Syria of interference in Iraq when the 
SARG was cooperating with IECI officials on election 
planning.  Panel participants shrugged off the question, 
responding that they had full cooperation from the SARG on 
issues of concern.  Another question raised the issue of the 
IECI's independence, given that IECI officials described 
their organization as a "daughter" of Iraq's government. 
(Note:  The non-partisan International Organization for 
Migration organized out-of-country voting in January 2005.) 
 
4.  After the press conference, an IECI press officer 
frantically pressed the handful of western diplomats present 
to volunteer for monitoring duties by December 8.  (Note: 
While expressing his dismay over the lack of volunteers, the 
IECI official noted he had only reached out to some 
diplomatic missions in late November.)  The Canadian Embassy 
has hired consultant Hannah Roberts to serve as country 
coordinator for international election monitors.  Roberts 
promised to provide the IECI a list of volunteers by COB 
December 8. 
SECHE