VZCZCXRO1497
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0867 0811458
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 211458Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6379
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000867 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2018 
TAGS: PGOVPOL PREL IZ
SUBJECT: NEXT STEPS ON PROVINCIAL POWERS 
 
REF: A. BAGHDAD O-I 3/19/08 
     ¶B. BAGHDAD O-I 3/13/08 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and 
 (d) 
 
¶1. (C) On March 19, 2008 the Presidency Council released a 
statement announcing that after deliberations with the 
leaders of the Council of Representatives (CoR) and party 
blocs, it has unanimously decided to withdraw its objections 
to the Provincial Powers Law (or PPL; see ref A).  It is our 
understanding that Vice President Abdel Mehdi agreed to 
withdraw his veto if the CoR leadership pledged to amend the 
PPL before provincial elections are held, although the exact 
nature of any amendments to the law remain an open question. 
The PPL will now be sent to the Ministry of Justice for 
publication in the Official Gazette.  The PPL requires the 
CoR to pass a provincial elections law no later than May 13 
(90 days after the PPL was passed) and hold provincial 
elections by October 1, 2008. 
 
¶2. (C) Given that the CoR has already taken over a month long 
recess (February 14-March 25), this schedule is extremely 
ambitious -- MPs will have only five to six weeks to 
deliberate on the elections law.  Deputy Chair of the Legal 
Committee Salim Jibouri (IIP/Tawafuq) told PolOffs on 
February 13 the CoR has not even received a draft from the 
GOI of the provincial elections law (ref B).  Keeping the 
CoR's passage of the elections law on track will be key to 
meeting the October 1 deadline for provincial elections.  The 
PPL will enter into force on the date it is published in the 
gazette, but most of its provisions will not be applicable 
until after the elections of new provincial councils are 
held, according to Article 55 of the law. 
CROCKER