VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGB #0554 0480832
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 170832Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9690
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC//NSC// PRIORITY
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2// PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 000554 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
THIS IS A CORRECTED COPY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PINS IZ
SUBJECT: PM'S OFFICE RELEASES STATEMENT DENYING 
AUTHENTICITY OF AL-SADR LETTER 
 
 
¶1. (U) The office of Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki issued a 
written statement on February 4 denying the authenticity of a 
letter, dated January 14 and circulating on the internet, 
which summarized an alleged conversation he had with Moqtada 
Al-Sadr to send senior Al-Mahdi members to Iran to protect 
them from the new Baghdad Security Plan. 
 
¶2. (U)Embassy informal translation of the statement is as 
follows: 
 
Begin Text 
 
"The Office of the Prime Minister 
February 4, 2007 
 
- The Prime Minister Mr. Nouri Kamel Al-Maliki, who launched 
The National Reconciliation Initiative has persevered in 
rejecting favoratism toward any component of Iraqi society 
while totally respecting each component.  He strongly opposes 
the policy of marginalization, exclusion and discrimination 
and calls on everyone to work to spread and consolidate the 
culture of brotherhood and tolerance. 
 
- At a time when we remind people of these firm positions and 
policies of the Prime Minister, which has become known to all 
those who are fair and monitor Iraqi issues, we would like to 
point out an intentional slander campaign through fabricated 
statements attributed to the Prime Minister's office 
regarding correspondence accusing him of having a sectarian 
bias.  These dubious statements aim to inflame sectarian 
sedition and  exposes the parties behind it as individuals 
who do not wish our people well or support stability. 
 
- The publication of these statements coincides with 
preparations to implement the plan to enforce the Law, which 
has entered a new stage in consolidating security and 
stability in our beloved capital.  It is an attempt to stir 
up doubts and poison the atmosphere surrounding the aims of 
the plan. 
 
- These exposed attempts will have absolutely no effect on 
the national unity government resolve and will to implement 
the plan to enforce the rule of law which will be based on 
professionalism and neutrality aiming to consolidate civil 
peace and to confront all the outlaws irrespective of their 
political, party and sectarian allegiances. 
 
- We would like to stress to our people that these malicious 
statements reveal the morale bankruptcy of those opposing the 
democratic experiment in the new Iraq, and the Government 
pays no attention to fabricated statements issued by these 
parties." 
 
End Text 
KHALILZAD