VZCZCXRO9043
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3458 3041155
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301155Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0156
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003458 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE PROVIDING SUPPORT IN 
ADVANCE OF IRAQI PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS 
 
(U)  This message is Sensitive but Unclassified - not for 
Internet distribution. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Heather Therrien, Political Party 
Development 
Director for the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in 
Iraq, outlined NDI's political party training and election 
observer training efforts to an inter-agency provincial 
election working group at Embassy Baghdad on October 28, 
¶2008.  During her briefing, Therrien highlighted NDI's 
several years of experience of working within Iraq, and the 
differences they have observed during this election cycle. 
Following her presentation, Therrien fielded questions from 
representatives of Multinational Force - Iraq, USAID and 
others.  The International Republican Institute has been 
invited to present their Iraq program at a future meeting 
of the election working group.  END SUMMARY 
 
POLITICAL PARTY TRAINING 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  NDI began political party training focused on the 
provincial elections in July 2008.  Through September 2008, 
NDI limited its political party training to more generic 
issues such as constituent services and party platform 
development.  As the details of the election law were 
determined with its passage on September 24, NDI was able 
to begin training political party agents.  Party agents 
will observe campaign and election day activities.  It is 
imperative that they operate under a code of conduct and be 
fully aware of the laws determining legal and illegal 
activities, and are prepared to report any perceived 
irregularities through appropriate GOI channels.  Training 
by NDI will enhance confidence in the system, and ensure 
that parties are aware of their legal recourse. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  At the request of the Independent High Electoral 
Commission (IHEC) of Iraq, NDI is also training party 
activists on the details of the election law and campaign 
regulations.  Confronted for the first time with an open- 
list ballot, there is the danger that many Iraqis will not 
fully understand the mechanism for allocating seats in the 
provincial councils following the election.  Such confusion 
raises the likelihood of accusations of fraud and 
corruption.  Through comprehensive training, party 
activists are informed of the seat allocation mechanism to 
mitigate such protests. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  As the parties identify and register the thousands 
of 
candidates that will compete for provincial council seats, 
NDI anticipates initiating its candidate training program 
in mid-November.  Candidates will be trained on messaging, 
campaign tactics and conduct.  NDI has focused on 
communicating with constituents, and Therrein, who has been 
working in Iraq since 2004 and participated in NDI 
political training during the 2005 electoral season, 
commented that "for the first time we are seeing evidence 
of parties listening to their constituents and shaping 
messages accordingly." 
 
NEW AND EMERGING POLITICAL ENTITIES 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Therrien reported that NDI's candidate training 
may 
extend well into December as they offer opportunities to 
the many new and emerging political entities within Iraq. 
NDI has met with more than 20 such groups in the past few 
months.  These groups have ranged in size from 3-4 
individuals who have splintered off from existing parties 
to larger, seemingly more viable independent entities. 
Therrien commented that some of the smaller groups may be 
viable only at the local level while others may be able to 
compete at the provincial level.  NDI is committed to 
working with such groups, affording them the opportunity to 
develop. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  NDI, and its counterpart the 
International 
Republican Institute (IRI), has been operational in Iraq 
since 2003, and has established a solid working 
relationship with both the GOI and with the many political 
parties and entities within the country.  Their work, 
funded through the state Department's Bureau of Democracy, 
Human Rights and Labor, is designed to meet the objectives 
of the United States Strategy for Democracy and Governance 
in Iraq.  While much work remains to be done in Iraq, the 
programs being carried out in anticipation of the 
provincial elections are a step forward in 
institutionalizing democratic political processes that 
resolve disputes peacefully.  END COMMENT 
CROCKER