APPROACHING GOVERNMENTS OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000427

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2011
TAGS: PREL PGOV KISL KPAO AE
SUBJECT: APPROACHING GOVERNMENTS OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES TO
QUELL VIOLENT REACTIONS TO OFFENSIVE CARTOONS

REF: STATE 20587

Classified By: HILARY OLSIN-WINDECKER, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES,
A.I., REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to MFA Director
for International Organizations Yacub al-Hosani February 12.
Ambassador left the points as a non-paper. Al-Hosani will
brief the MFA under secretary and the new Foreign Minister
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed.


2. (U) In the wake of the cartoon controversy, UAE political
officials and religious personalities continue to be
outspoken in their call for understanding and forgiveness.
On February 8, Ekmal al-Deen Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of
the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) met with new
Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of
Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid. According to English
daily "Gulf News," Sheikh Mohammed stressed the importance of
a civilized dialogue between Muslim leaders and Islamic
authorities and their counterparts in other religions. He
said "all sides must consider the sensibilities of other
parties, especially with regard to religious beliefs, without
which Muslims will lose their distinct identity." He also
urged the OIC to fight prejudice against Islam by organizing
international discussion forums and conferences to define
Islam and explain its principles. Ihsanoglu thanked the UAE
for encouraging dialogue between various cultures on the
basis of respect, trust, and brotherhood.


3. (U) During the Friday, February 10, unified sermon drafted
and distributed by the government's Islamic Affairs
authority, preachers objected to blasphemous cartoons, but
said it would be wiser if Muslims could forgive to avoid a
conflict between cultures. "While others should respect our
religion and refrain from any such acts, we -- as Muslims --
should take the course of forgiveness," preachers said.
English daily "Khaleej Times" reported that Sheikh Mahir
al-Sofi, who preaches at the Sheikh Khalifa Mosque in Abu
Dhabi and is a senior preacher at the new Islamic Affairs
authority, told worshippers that for the sake of tolerance
and the respect shown by many in the west, Muslims should
forgive this time. (Note: The Ministry of Justice, Islamic
Affairs, and Endowments, was split up in the recent Cabinet
reshuffle. The UAE leadership wanted to separate Islamic
Affairs to guarantee there would be enough resources to
ensure that the schools and mosques would teach and preach
moderate Islam. End note.)


4. (U) An expected protest against the cartoons did not
materialize on February 10. The U.S. Mission and other
diplomatic missions had alerted their employees and families
to avoid crowds. A week earlier, there were reports that
between 500 and 3,000 people had protested peacefully on the
city's corniche to voice their anger at the drawings.
OLSIN-WINDECKER