Cablegate: Iraq: Vice President of National Council

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ANKARA 005844

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ TU
SUBJECT: IRAQ: VICE PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL COUNCIL
REPORTS ON ELECTION PLANS, KIRKUK

1. Summary: Hamid Majid Musa, Vice President of the
Iraqi National Council, told Ankara-based diplomats
that January 2005 elections were on track despite the
insurgency. On Kirkuk, he said that if the TAL-
established Iraqi Property Claims Commission fails to
resolve the population distribution issues in Kirkuk,
the UN would need to do so. End summary.

2. On Sept. 25, the Vice President of the Iraqi
National Council, Hamid Majid Musa, provided a one-hour
briefing for Ankara diplomats on the current situation
in Iraq. PMA FSN attended. Majid Musa criticized the
media for not reflecting the truth about Iraq's
improving security situation. He said national
elections planned for January would take place despite
the flaring insurgency. Majid Musa acknowledged that
there had been security problems in the northwest of
Iraq, but he believed that would not prevent people
from voting. He called on Iraq's friends to support
these elections.

3. Majid Musa reported that the 100-member National
Council has prepared draft legislation on Iraq's
political structures, including the status of political
parties. He explained that the Ministry of Planning
would register all political parties and that parties
with 500 signatures would enter the parliamentary
election. The process will exclude ex-Baath Party
members and politicians (whatever the name of their
party).

4. He further explained that Iraqis would also vote for
local province officials on the same day. According to
Majid Musa the Election Committee would decide on who
was eligible to vote in terms of nationality and age by
consulting the records of the Ministry of Planning,
information on oil-for-food cards, and population
records. Iraqis living abroad would be able to vote at
functioning Iraqi Embassies. Majid Musa indicated that
ideally they preferred having nomination of all parties
(i.e. secular democratic parties currently with 60
seats and Islamist parties with 40 seats) in one list;
if not in 2???? Majid Musa expressed that the reason
for dividing political parties into the 2 mentioned
groups was reducing power of Islamic groups in order to
prevent formation of an Islamic government.

5. Regarding Kirkuk, Majid Musa stated that the
Transitional Administrative Law had assigned the Iraqi
Property Claims Commission (IPCC) to deal with the
situation of Kirkuk, including repatriation and
population movements. In case the commission could not
solve the Kirkuk issue, the UN would be assigned to
solve it. According to Majid Musa, a census of Kirkuk
would be completed before October 16.

6. In response to a question regarding situation of
Feili Kurds, who had been expelled to Iran and were
stateless, Majid Musa indicated that the TAL offered
protection to them by providing them with identity
cards as well as employment opportunities, and the
possibility of having their property restored to them.

7. Baghdad minimize considered.

EDELMAN

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