VZCZCXRO4291
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #1149/01 1211212
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 011212Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2899
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001149 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2019 
TAGS: IZ KDEM PGOV
SUBJECT: KRG ELECTIONS ON TRACK, WITH LIMITED NEED FOR USG 
SUPPORT 
 
REF: A. BAGHDAD 642 
     ¶B. BAGHDAD 873 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Robert Ford for reasons 1.4 
 (d). 
 
¶1.  (C)  Summary:  Iraq's Independent High Electoral 
Commission (IHEC) reports that planning for the Kurdish 
parliamentary elections is on track, with an anticipated 
election date of July 25.  IHEC's Chairman told us that PM 
Maliki has orally authorized funding for the elections, but 
that IHEC will not seek a formal announcement of a polling 
date until it receives written confirmation of the funds.  He 
expected this to come soon.  Once funding is secure, IHEC 
will plan the voter registry update for Kurdistan, certify 
political entities desiring to participate in the elections, 
and commence the necessary procurements.  IHEC plans to 
invite international observers once the election date is set. 
 Citing stable security conditions in the KRG, Haydari said 
IHEC does not plan to request security assistance from the 
USG.  U.S.-based NGOs are helping with the Kurdish election, 
including a USAID-funded election administration expert and 
NDI and IRI who are conducting political party campaign 
training.  End Summary. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Planning for KRG Elections On Track 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C)  In a meeting with Poloffs on April 26, IHEC Chairman 
Faraj Haydari confirmed that planning for the Kurdish 
parliamentary elections is on track.  Visibly pleased, he 
reported resolution of a significant potential sticking 
point:  whether the KRG or the Iraqi Government in Baghdad 
would fund the election administration costs. Haydari said 
Prime Minister Maliki had recently called him to confirm that 
the GOI would fund the elections (estimated cost is $40 
million), and on that basis IHEC could proceed with its 
preparations. 
 
¶3.  (C)  Haydari anticipates an election date of July 25, but 
will not seek a formal announcement of the date until it 
receives written confirmation of the funds.  He expected to 
receive this soon.  (Note:  The KRG elections law, amended on 
March 25, requires Kurdish parliamentary elections to take 
place before August 4, at the discretion of KRG President 
Masoud Barzani.  It will be Barzani who officially announces 
the election date.  End note.)  Chairman Haydari, along with 
UNAMI Elections Advisor Sandra Mitchell, indicated that the 
July election date would give IHEC, working in close 
coordination with the Kurdish Regional Electoral Office 
(KREO), sufficient time to prepare for Kurdish parliamentary 
elections. 
 
¶4.  (U)  According to UNAMI, IHEC needs to complete three 
critical steps before the elections can be held:  updating 
the voter registry, certification of political entities 
participating in the election, and nomination of candidates 
and coalitions.  In addition, timely procurements of 
elections materials -- including ballots -- will be built 
into the operational plan.  IHEC will continue to work 
closely with the International Electoral Assistance Team 
(IEAT, UNAMI plus the USAID-funded International Foundation 
for Electoral Systems) to prepare for the elections.  An IEAT 
team based in Erbil is partnering with KREO staff to draft 
operational plans that will support election procedures for 
the 2.5 million registered voters in Kurdistan.  In UNAMI's 
view, it will not be feasible for IHEC to support absentee 
voting for the Kurdish parliamentary elections. 
 
¶5.  (U)  IHEC, working via the KREO in Erbil, has already 
initiated political entity registration in the Kurdish 
region.  Registration will run from April 15-26.  RRT Erbil 
reports that 42 entities have already registered, including 
Qreports that 42 entities have already registered, including 
KDP, PUK, and minority parties.  Meanwhile, the DRL-funded 
programs operated by International Republican Institute (IRI) 
and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) are conducting 
campaign planning workshops for parties based in the Kurdish 
provinces.  The International and Research Exchanges Board 
(IREX), also funded by DRL, is planning assistance designed 
to support Kurdish parliamentary elections, including 
journalism training, radio programming, and television 
programming. 
 
----------------------- 
International Observers 
----------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C)  Chairman Haydari told Poloffs that IHEC will send 
invitations for elections observers to organizations that 
field international election teams once the polling date is 
set.  (Note:  We expect IHEC will invite the same 
 
BAGHDAD 00001149  002 OF 002 
 
 
organizations it invited to observe the provincial elections 
in January; Haydari specifically mentioned the Arab League 
and the EU).  Haydari noted that both KRG President Barzani 
and President Talibani have asked for international 
observers.  RRT Erbil's political party contacts have also 
urged for international election observers. 
 
-------- 
Security 
-------- 
 
¶7.  (C)  Security for the elections, including for 
international observers, will be overseen by the newly 
created Kurdistan Security High Committee (KSHC).  KSHC is a 
joint task force comprised of representatives from the KRG 
Ministry of the Interior, the heads of the local police in 
each of the KRG's three governorates, the Peshmerga, the 
General Secretary of Kurdistan, and the KREO.  The committee 
will be the lead security entity for the election.  Citing 
the relatively stable security in the KRG, Chairman Haydari 
said that IHEC does not plan to request USG security 
assistance for the Kurdish parliamentary elections.  UNAMI is 
organizing training for the security managers at each of the 
three GEOs in the KRG which will include GPS training, first 
aid, and communications.  At UNAMI's request, MNF-I is 
providing basic security training which will be a precursor 
to the nationwide GEO Security manager training slated for 
October. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8.  (C)  While the Kurdish parliamentary elections are on 
track, there is still criticism in the press over the KRG's 
decision to use closed lists.  We share this disappointment 
and have communicated it to the KRG leadership.  There are 
also widespread concerns that smaller political entities and 
potential voters not aligned with the KDP and PUK will be 
subjected to intimidation and harassment during the campaign 
season (septel).  We don't see any technical hurdles at this 
point that would overwhelm IHEC's ability to conduct 
successful elections.  The critical operational concern is 
that the Kurdish parliamentary elections be completed in time 
to allow IHEC to turn its focus to administering national 
parliamentary elections in late 2009/early 2010.  The sooner 
the Kurdish elections happen, the better.  Embassy and RRT 
Erbil will work with UNAMI to encourage and organize the 
participation of international observers. 
HILL