RECOMMENDATIONS
To All Parties in the Political Conflict:
1. Reassert publicly their commitment to power sharing.
2. Convene a national conference to discuss the principal issues dividing them and work with a specific and publicly-released written roadmap toward a practicable power-sharing arrangement, signed by all principal players, until the next parliamentary elections.
To Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki:
3. Commit publicly not to seek a third term as prime minister after the next elections for the sake of national unity.
4. Commit publicly to fully implementing the 2010 Erbil agreement.
5. Commit publicly to holding provincial and parliamentary elections on schedule.
6. Stop interference in the selection of commissioners for the Independent High Electoral Commission.
To the Prime Minister’s Opponents:
7. End the effort to unseat the prime minister by a parliamentary no-confidence vote.
8. Build on the one issue on which they agree – the need to limit the prime minister’s powers – by using their parliamentary strength to protect the independence of the Independent High Electoral Commission and pass the following key legislation, to be initiated by the president if necessary:
a) laws allowing for free and fair provincial elections in 2013 and parliamentary elections in 2014;
b) a law on the composition, selection and work of the Federal Supreme Court;
c) a political parties law; and d) federal hydrocarbons and revenue-sharing laws.
To the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq:
9. With the international community’s support, push forward with efforts to establish a new, strong and independent board of commissioners for the Independent High Electoral Commission; provide technical expertise in organising the 2013 provincial and 2014 parliamentary elections; and mobilise the international community to closely monitor these elections.
To the Governments of Iraq and Turkey:
10. Improve bilateral relations by:
a) ending damaging sectarian rhetoric directed at one another;
b) reestablishing contacts at the leadership level;
c) appointing high-level envoys to their counterpart’s capital who would be dedicated to restoring relations;
d) reviving the 2008 High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council; and
e) stepping up implementation of the 48 agreements on energy, security and economic cooperation signed in 2009.
To the U.S. Government:
11. Use its leverage to:
a) press the parties to return to power sharing;
b) urge the opposition to use its parliamentary strength to push through key legislation concerning the judiciary, oil and future elections;
c) urge Maliki to cooperate with parliament to ensure these critical pieces of legislation are passed;
d) speak out publicly when the Maliki administration or any other actor violates democratic rules or when presented with evidence of human rights abuses; and
e) encourage the Iraqi government to organise provincial and parliamentary elections on schedule, and help ensure that these elections be free and fair.
To the Governments of Saudi Arabia and Other Gulf States:
12. Accept the legitimacy of and actively engage with the Maliki government, broadening diplomatic and trade relations.
To the Governments of Iran and Turkey:
13. Urge Prime Minister Maliki and his opponents to return to and fully implement the power-sharing arrangement contained in the 2010 Erbil agreement.
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