Cablegate: Ahd Al-Iraq to Present Draft Legislation in Next Cor

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PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3422 2560650
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 130650Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6873
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0522
INFO RHEHWSR/WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003422

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KWMN IZ
SUBJECT: AHD AL-IRAQ TO PRESENT DRAFT LEGISLATION IN NEXT COR
SESSION

1.(U) Ahd al-Iraq Director Dr. Azhar Al-Sheikhly met with Poloff on
August 30 to discuss the draft legislation her organization prepared
for submission in the next COR session. The group has drafted laws
to enhance constitutional protections of equal opportunity (article
16), freedom of expression and freedom of the press (article 38),
the personal status code (article 41), the federal supreme court
(articles 92-94) and the commission for human rights (article 102).

2. (U) Al-Sheikhly said that 803 people, including several
ministers, parliamentarians, clerics and civil society leaders, had
signed a pledge of support to the Ahd al-Iraq platform. Of the 803
signatories, 24 were parliamentarians (NOTE: Four (4)
parliamentarians are members of Ahd al-Iraq: Safia Suhail, Maysoon
Damluji, Tania Gilley and Shatha Al-Obaisi. END NOTE). COR bylaws
state that any ten (10) members can introduce a law to the Speaker
of COR, who can then refer it to a committee for consideration.
Al-Sheikhly noted that this would be the vehicle for introducing the
legislation to the COR, and asked for Embassy help in lobbying
members for support.

3. (U) Al-Sheikhly also said that her group held a series of
seminars related to their draft legislation, and invited
participants from across the spectrum to discuss the issues. While
the group has been careful to protect its political independence, it
has also worked hard to engage with leaders of parties whose
ideologies are very different from their own. For example,
Al-Sheikhly said that Sadrist Baha Al-Araji had attended a seminar
on the personal status law at her invitation, and that she had also
discussed it with SCIRI's Bayan Jabr. She also noted that they were
meeting with Minister of State for National Dialogue Affairs Dr.
Akram Al-Hakim (SCIRI) to discuss how Ahd al-Iraq could contribute
to the national reconciliation dialogue.

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