Cablegate: Un On Preparations for Iraqi Provincial Elections

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DE RUCNDT #0552 1761728
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241728Z JUN 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4478
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0678
RUEHBC/REO BASRAH IMMEDIATE 0053
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RUEHKUK/REO KIRKUK IMMEDIATE 0001

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000552

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: UN ON PREPARATIONS FOR IRAQI PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS

1. (SBU) Summary: USUN deputy political counselor Molly Phee
met June 19 with the UN Director of the Electoral Assistance
Division (EAD), Craig Jenness, to discuss EAD's support for
elections in various countries, including upcoming provincial
elections in Iraq. Jenness, who led the UN elections effort
in Iraq in 2005, noted that Iraq's voter registration is
expected to start on July 15 and will last for a period of 30
days. He said the Iraqis had agreed to a UN recommendation
that IDPs be able to register to vote in either the location
that they have been displaced to or the location that they
lived in prior to 9 April 2003. On Kirkuk, Jenness suggested
that it is likely that the CoR Committee on Provinces and
Regions will recommend that voter registration occur in all
provinces except for Kirkuk. He also reported that the Iraqi
Election Commission has asked UNAMI's elections expert,
Sandra Mitchell, to serve as policy advisor to the IEC.
Mitchell will not be given the right to vote, but she will be
present for IEC meetings. Jenness agreed that Mitchell
could serve a useful function, particularly in providing
political cover for controversial IEC decisions.

2. (SBU) Noting that the next round of the U.S.-UN strategic
dialogue is scheduled for July 11, Phee confirmed EAD's
participation in the meeting, and asked the UN to be prepared
to share its view of what logistical, security and other
support will be necessary from MNF-I. She also asked Jenness
to advise on the role of the EU or other international
observers. Jenness said the UN had been focused on training
domestic observers, which is progressing well, but committed
to responding to these two requests. In other elections
news, Jenness reported that the UN had conducted an
unannounced inspection of the regional election office in
Anbar province and the results were positive. Overall, he
was upbeat on election preparations. He welcomed a USUN
recommendation that he consult with State, USAID, and other
interested agencies when he next travels to Washington, D.C.,
likely in late July.
Khalilzad

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