Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05CAIRO8618
2005-11-15 19:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:  

EGYPT-DEMARCHE ON PREPARATIONS FOR ARAB LEAGUE

Tags:  PGOV PREL IZ AL EG 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 008618 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ AL EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT-DEMARCHE ON PREPARATIONS FOR ARAB LEAGUE
IRAQ RECONCILIATION CONFERENCE

REF: STATE 207928

Classified by Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone 1.4(b) and
(d).

-------
Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 008618

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ AL EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT-DEMARCHE ON PREPARATIONS FOR ARAB LEAGUE
IRAQ RECONCILIATION CONFERENCE

REF: STATE 207928

Classified by Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone 1.4(b) and
(d).

--------------
Summary
--------------


1. (C) In a meeting with Arab League Secretary General Amre
Moussa and his Chief of Cabinet Hesham Youssef on November
15, the Ambassador delivered the points in reftel and
received a brief on the status of preparations for the
proposed November 19 Iraq conference. Moussa said: 50-60
Iraqis received invitations; only Iraqis and certain League
representatives will join the substantive sessions; the
conference will not discredit or contradict the process
outlined in UNSC 1546; rather it will aim to draw more Iraqis
into the coming elections and subsequent constitutional
process; Iraqis will discuss withdrawal of the MNF-I, but
will not set a timeline and the conference will focus on
reconciliation and promoting broad political participation.
End summary.

--------------
The demarche and Moussa's Response
--------------


2. (C) During his November 15 meeting with Arab League SYG
Moussa, the Ambassador conveyed reftel concerns about the
proposed November 19 preparatory conference on Iraq. The
Ambassador stressed, in particular, the need for the AL
initiative to accept and endorse the Iraqi process
established under the UNSC resolutions 1546 and 1637 and
refrain from opening any discussions that might discredit,
contradict, or question those resolutions or the legitimate
political process. The Ambassador also underlined the
importance of urging full participation in the upcoming
elections and avoiding attempts at setting "timelines."


3. (C) Moussa sought emphatically to put to rest concerns
that the November 19 conference might undermine the ongoing
political process under the UNSCRs. He said that the League
will not oppose or challenge the existing process, and
instead will press for reconciliation and to draw more Iraqis
into participating in the December 15 elections and the
subsequent Iraqi political process, as provided in the Iraqi
constitution, for amending the constitution. He maintained,
however, that the League's initiative "has a role and will

continue to have a role." He envisioned that the Arab
League's conference, though its Cairo session would last only
three days, "would not close but rather would move to Iraq
after the elections," as a continuing endeavor. Moussa
rejected the suggestion that the League risked
"internationalizing" the conference by inviting so many
groups to join the opening ceremonies. He said that
international support is important to and gives weight to the
process. He clarified that no one except the Iraqi delegates
and certain League (and UN) representatives would attend
substantive meetings, probably representatives of the Arab
League "Committee of Eight." He tried to recall which these
were: Egypt, Saudi, Kuwait, Bahrain, Syria, Sudan, Jordan,
Algeria. On November 19, all outsiders would participate in
the opening ceremonies, including a statement by himself and
speeches by Iraqis. If Bouteflika attends, he would speak.
In that case, Mubarak would also attend and speak. The
session would start by 1100 a.m., and by 1300 they will leave
the Iraqis to their work, Moussa explained. Moussa said the
League does not want to "corner" the U.S. on its role in
Iraq. Rather, the Arab League wants to help the different
political groups overcome the deep lack of confidence between
them.

-------------- --------------
Participation: inaugural vs. substantive sessions
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Moussa said that he had invited a broad group of
guests, including many GOI officials, four Iraqi women (the
Iraqis themselves had included not a single woman),Algerian
President Bouteflika, many Arab Foreign Ministers,
representatives from the Arab Committee of Eight, the Islamic
Conference, the EU, P-5 nations, and Turkey, Syria, Algeria,
and Iran, to the inaugural session of the Iraq conference.
Some of the prominent Iraqis include: President Talibani,
Prime Minister Jafari, Ayad Alawi, Sandari, Rubaie, Abdel
Azziz al Hakim (who phoned Moussa during the Ambassador's
meeting, and reportedly was "still thinking about
attending."),Adnan al Pachachi, and Moqtadr Al Sadr. Moussa
said the Iraqi Minister of Transportation will represent
Moqtadr Al Sadr. Moussa said he wanted the participation at
the inaugural session to be broad in order to give the
conference weight.


5. (C) Participation during the substantive portion of the
conference, Moussa underlined, would be restricted. He said
the League invited 56-60 Iraqis for the substantive portion
of the conference. Only these delegates and certain AL
officials, including the SYG, and former Sudanese FM Ismail
will be able to participate in the working meetings. The
Arab League officials would "stand back and let the Iraqis do
all the talking," but they would aim to facilitate as
possible. Although some GOI officials were invited to the
inaugural session, Moussa said that only those officials
chosen as their political group's "delegate" would be welcome
at working sessions. Moussa also noted that he would not
require that he (or his representatives) participate in all
of the working sessions. Moussa promised to send us a list
of invitees. He will also update us on participation as soon
as he receives names of firm attendees.

--------------
Conference agenda
--------------


6. (C) Moussa said that he intentionally refrained from
setting the agenda or drafting any language for use during
the working sessions. Explaining that he wants the Iraqis to
focus on reconciliation, Moussa said that, to the extent
possible, he will leave it to the Iraqis to direct the
conference. Moussa's Chief of Cabinet Hesham Youssef said
that the objectives of the conference are to determine: when
and where the next session will occur, who will participate
or, at a minimum, what mechanism will determine
participation, and the agenda. In addition, Moussa noted,
the participants will discuss the importance of political
participation and Iraqi unity, and the question of "foreign
forces". Moussa pledged that there would be no effort to fix
a timeline for MNF-I withdrawal. When the Ambassador again
flagged the danger of deviating from the language of UNSC
1637, Moussa said that even the Sunnis now favor only gradual
withdrawal of MNF-I. The emphatically warned against any
attempt to use the term "foreign forces" to even appear to
refer to both MNF-I and foreign terrorists on even a remotely
similar footing. This would be a red line for us. Moussa
affirmed there would be no such references.


RICCIARDONE