FM ON ARAB LEAGUE AND REFORMS: CHALLENGE IS TO GET

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000347

SIPDIS

PLEASE PASS TO G/NICOLE BIBBINS SEDACA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/21/2015
TAGS: PREL KPAO KMPI KDEM YM
SUBJECT: FM ON ARAB LEAGUE AND REFORMS: CHALLENGE IS TO GET
THINGS MOVING

REF: STATE 29314

Classified By: DCM Nabeel Khoury for reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (C) Although the GOE has postponed the planned March 3
Arab League - G-8 Ministerial, Ambassador asked FM Qirbi for
his views on the meeting and Arab League attitudes on BMENA
(reftel). Qirbi said he believed the agenda for the March 3
meeting (now expected to occur following the March 22-23 Arab
League Summit) focused on the same issues discussed in Rabat.



2. (C) According to the FM, the GOE is pushing for a united
Arab League stance on reform, for fear that BMENA will render
the Arab League irrelevant. Too polite to comment on the
institutions' existing efficacy, Qirbi called Arab League
fears of eclipse "unjustified," but advised that they should
bee addressed in the interests of progress on reform -- "Our
challenge is to get things moving."


3. (C) As for inclusion of the wider BMENA group in Cairo's
proposed Ministerial, Qirbi shared his view. "Afghanistan
and Pakistan are our neighbors, developing common reform
objectives would benefit us all."
Krajeski