US embassy cable - 05THEHAGUE2870

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MISSION HOSTS FIRST IFTAR DINNER

Identifier: 05THEHAGUE2870
Wikileaks: View 05THEHAGUE2870 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy The Hague
Created: 2005-10-24 05:52:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: KPAO OEXC SCUL NL
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 002870 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/PPD, EUR/UBI, IIP/G/EUR, ECA/PE 
 
POSTS FOR PAO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OEXC, SCUL, NL 
SUBJECT: MISSION HOSTS FIRST IFTAR DINNER 
 
1. On October 20, 2005, Embassy The Hague Charge d'Affaires 
Blakeman hosted a well-received Iftar dinner at the Charge's 
residence, the first ever by the Mission.  Forty-five key 
contacts attended, including many Dutch Muslim leaders.  The 
Charge read President Bush's Ramadan message to the 
gathered, and the PAO read it in Dutch.  The largest Dutch 
Moroccan television outlet in the Netherlands filmed the 
Iftar for a ten-minute Arabic language report that will 
reach many Muslims in the greater Amsterdam region.  The TV 
crew filmed interviews with the Charge, Consul General, and 
Moroccan ambassador, who praised the Mission for hosting the 
Iftar. 
 
2. The Moroccan ambassador offered the prayer to break the 
fast at sundown.  Besides the Moroccan ambassador, the Iftar 
drew the ambassadors of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the 
United Arab Emirates, the DCMs of Turkey, India and 
Pakistan, as well as three Dutch Muslim Members of 
Parliament.  The chairmen of the two largest Dutch Muslim 
umbrella organizations, the CMO and CGI, attended, as did 
the leader of the advisory body "Islam and Citizenship." 
Other guests represented the Dutch MFA, Ministry of Justice, 
Muslim student organizations, Muslim NGOs, universities, and 
think tanks.  Among the Muslim guests were twelve 
International Visitor program alumni. 
 
3. All guests commended the U.S. Mission for celebrating an 
Iftar as part of our public diplomacy outreach.  When 
leaving, one Arab ambassador noted, "I'd like to see the 
guest list because you had all the important people here." 
BLAKEMAN 

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