US embassy cable - 05CAIRO6953

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 006953 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, ECON, KPAL, EG, IZ, IS, ICRC, MEPN 
SUBJECT: CAIRO ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING: 
EGYPT AND ARAB LEAGUE RESPONSES 
 
REF: STATE 163365 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified by Ambassador Francis Ricciardone for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C) During an introductory meeting September 6, the 
Ambassador reviewed with Arab League Secretary General Amre 
Moussa reftel points ahead of an Arab League foreign 
ministers meeting scheduled for September 8 in Cairo.  The 
Ambassador sought Moussa's and the League's support on 
Iraq's political transition, public condemnation of 
terrorism, progress on the Israeli-Palestinian issues, 
Syria-Lebanon (septel), and regional reform.  Moussa began by 
calling for an enhanced US-Arab dialogue to bridge what he 
called a "growing divide".  On Iraq, Moussa said he was ready 
to make positive statements on Iraq's constitution once he 
saw a final draft, noting that the issue of language on 
Iraq's "Arab identity" had been resolved.  On UN terror 
language, Moussa said he was pushing Arab leaders to agree to 
language that categorically condemned attacks on civilians 
but was facing some resistance.  On the Magen David Adom 
issue, Moussa said that without clarity on what Israel would 
do with its West Bank settlements and its security barrier, 
the Arabs were simply not prepared to offer Tel Aviv a 
"reward" for leaving Gaza.  Regarding a planned Arab-Arab 
American forum in Houston, Moussa said the League may 
postpone the gathering in deference to Hurricane Katrina 
relief efforts in that city.  The DCM also delivered reftel 
demarche to MFA Cabinet Chief of Staff Wafa'a Bassim 
September 6.  End summary. 
 
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Arab League Secretary General Calls for Enhanced Dialogue 
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2.  (C) During an introductory call on Arab League Secretary 
General Amre Moussa September 6, the Ambassador delivered 
reftel demarche ahead of a September 8 League meeting of 
foreign ministers in Cairo.  Moussa opened the meeting by 
calling for an expanded and deepened bilateral dialogue 
between the League and the USG on key issues affecting the 
region, citing Iraq and the Arab-Israeli conflict as 
examples.  Moussa acknowledged his admiration for America's 
positive contributions to Egypt's development efforts and 
suggested that most Egyptians were unaware of the tremendous 
assistance delivered by the U.S.  Recent damage to America's 
public image in the region, he suggested, might be reversible 
via improved coordination and dialogue with regional leaders 
to deal with regional challenges.  Moussa cited Washington's 
Broader Middle East and North Africa initiative as an example 
of a project he felt had not succeeded due to a lack of local 
participation in its inception.  Moussa further warned that 
public opinion in the Middle East should not be ignored.  "We 
recognize the U.S. as the world's only superpower, but we 
cannot simply say 'yes, sir' and follow blindly behind." 
There must be some give-and-take, he added. 
 
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Supporting Iraq's Political Process 
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3.  (C) Responding to the Ambassador's request for Arab 
League support for Iraq's political development, Moussa said 
he had warned Iraqi President Talabani in April that he would 
publicly criticize problematic language in the TAL 
(Transitional Administrative Law) over Iraq's "Arab identity" 
if it was included in the draft constitution.  Nevertheless, 
after numerous calls and dialogue with key Iraqi political 
figures, the issue was successfully resolved.  Moussa was 
waiting to see a final, public draft of the constitution 
before making public remarks.  If the revised language on 
Iraq's Arab identity is in the document, he said, he would 
make positive public statements in support of Iraq's 
political process.  This episode, Moussa added, was an 
example of where the U.S., Iraq, and the Arab League could 
have consulted privately in order to avoid dispute. 
 
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Terror Language for the UN General Assembly 
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4.  (C) The Ambassador welcomed Moussa's public, positive 
remarks on the subject of agreeing to an international 
definition of terrorism in line with the UN Secretary 
General's proposal, and called for his continued efforts to 
propel Arab states to accept a similar position.  Moussa 
confirmed his strong conviction that terrorism was "a plague" 
that harms civilians.  Civilians, he added, no matter their 
nationality, race, or creed, must be protected.  This 
position reflected his own strong, personal convictions on 
the matter.  He would continue his efforts to convince Arab 
ministers and leaders to adopt a similar view, regardless of 
some resistance from certain quarters. 
 
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Peace Process,  Magen David Adom Issue 
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5.  (C) Moussa agreed with the Ambassador that all parties 
needed to seize the momentum created by disengagement and 
maintain further progress on the Roadmap.  However, expanding 
Arab diplomatic and commercial ties with Israel, as the 
Ambassador also called for, would be "rewarding Israel for 
what it should have done long ago."  The Arab states and the 
League will be forthcoming in our efforts to assist the 
Palestinians, he said, but "don't expect us to stand up and 
salute Israel for departing Gaza."  We still need to see, he 
continued, what Israel will do with its West Bank settlements 
and its security wall;  "both of which are being expanded, 
while we sit and speak."  The question of how the settlements 
issue is addressed will affect everything else, he said. 
 
6.  (C) The Ambassador urged Moussa not to stand in the way 
of Swiss efforts to convene a diplomatic conference on the 
Third Protocol and to bring Israel's Magen David Adom society 
into the Red Cross/Crescent movement. Moussa said no, "Israel 
has already been paid a high price for Gaza disengagement. 
It doesn't deserve any more."  Moussa said he would 
reconsider the issue in six months, to allow time to see how 
Israel reacts in dealing with West Bank settlements, 
Jerusalem, the barrier, and the Fourth Geneva Convention. 
The Ambassador countered that this was a humanitarian issue 
and should not be viewed through the prism of the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Moussa said the Organization 
of Islamic Conferences (OIC) had already taken a clear 
position on the issue. 
 
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Sustaining Momentum on Regional Reform 
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7.  (C) Noting the strong impact that elections in Egypt and 
elsewhere in the region were having, the Ambassador requested 
Moussa to continue his efforts to push the regional and Arab 
League reform agenda, including recognition and support for 
the planned November Forum for the Future meeting in Manama. 
Moussa revealed interest in continuing the discussion on 
reform, suggesting that he and the Ambassador meet at a later 
time to discuss the issue in greater detail. 
 
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DCM With MFA Cabinet Chief of Staff 
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8.  (C) Also on September 6, the DCM delivered reftel 
demarche to MFA Chief of Cabinet Wafa'a Bassim, who was 
accompanied by Cabinet staffers Alaa Hadidi and Mohamed 
Aboulkheir.  Bassim, newly arrived from her previous position 
as Ambassador to Bucharest, was not up to speed on the 
substance of the Arab League agenda, but promised to convey 
the U.S. demarche to the Minister and other appropriate GOE 
officials.  After thanking Egypt for its offer of hurricane 
relief assistance (septel), the Charge called for GOE support 
at the upcoming Arab League ministerial to make progress on 
key topics spelled out in reftel.  Bassim noted that the 
subject of condemning terrorism was on the meeting agenda for 
the first time in League history.  On Iraq, Bassim said Egypt 
was taking a "wait and see" approach on the issue of the 
constitution and resending an Ambassador to Baghdad.  On all 
other issues, Bassim "took note" of U.S. positions but had no 
substantive response. 
 
 
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RICCIARDONE