ALGERIAN COMMITTEE OF SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT FOR

UNCLAS ALGIERS 001376

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL LE IS AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIAN COMMITTEE OF SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT FOR
THE PALESTINIAN AND LEBANESE PEOPLES PRESENTS PETITION TO
CHARGE D'AFFAIRES


U.S. POSITION INCONSISTENT WITH U.S.
SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
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1. Vice President of the Conseil de la Nation (Senate) Zohra
Bitat; Senator Saida Benhabyles; Female Executives NGO
President Aicha Kouadri; and General Union of Students
President Nabil Yahoui called July 24 on the Charge
d'Affaires to present a petition calling on the United States
to take steps to stop the ongoing bloodshed in the Middle
East. Bitat told Charge, who was accompanied by PolEc Chief,
that the delegation represented the Algerian people through a
collaborative effort of different civic groups and
associations. Expressing their respect for the great
democracy that is the United States, the signers of the
petition asked Charge to pass their message directly to
President Bush. The delegation noted that it shared a copy
of the petition with the International Federation of Human
Rights, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International.


2. The delegation told Charge that the Algerian people
understood from their own history the barbaric consequences
of terrorism. The Algerian people, being frank and open,
could not remain silent in face of the events they see
unfolding on their television screens. Knowing that the U.S.
is a country that respects human rights and supports freedom
and justice around the world, the supporters of the petition
wanted the U.S. leadership to understand that Algerians were
shocked by U.S. weapons deliveries to Israel and very
frustrated by a U.S. response that was perceived in Algeria
as inconsistent with U.S. support for freedom, democracy, and
human rights.

U.S. SEEKS DURABLE PEACE; NOT RETURN TO STATUS QUO
-------------- --------------


3. Charge thanked the delegation for coming and said the
Embassy appreciated receiving the views of civil society.
Charge noted that we understood the GOA position in favor of
an immediate cease-fire from the media but, for whatever
reason, the Embassy had not been called to the MFA for a
face-to-face exchange of views on the current situation in
Lebanon. Charge said he would be pleased to transmit the
concerns of the Algerian people represented in this meeting
to the Department of State and the White House. Charge noted
that Secretary Rice had just arrived in Beirut for meetings
with Lebanese officials and would later travel to Israel and
the Palestinian Authority for meetings with Prime Minister
Olmert and President Abbas. The Secretary looked forward to
discussing with representatives of the international
community a way out of the current situation, but the U.S.
sought a cease-fire as a platform for a durable peace and not
as a return to the status quo.


4. Charge said Hizballah had attacked Israel from southern
Lebanon without direct cause. Noting that Israel had
withdrawn fully from Lebanon in 2000 based on borders
established by the UN, any Hizballah attacks following
Israel's withdrawal could not be termed "resistance."
Lebanon had yet to implement UNSC Resolution 1559 calling for
Hizballah to disarm and the Lebanese Army to deploy to the
southern border. Even though Hizballah was part of the
Lebanese political system, it could not usurp the role of the
Lebanese Government and plunge Lebanon and its people into
war. The U.S. regretted very much the loss of innocent life
in Lebanon, especially the lives of children. Charge then
provided the delegation with English-language copies of the
G-8 leaders' statement from their recent meetings in St.
Petersburg on the situation. Charge pointed out that the G-8
held Hizballah responsible as the cause of the current
conflict but sought a durable solution to bring peace and
security to the region over the longer term.

ALGERIANS OPPOSE ISLAMIC-INSPIRED VIOLENCE;
ISRAELI OVER-REACTION FUELING SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM
-------------- --------------


5. Yahoui offered that the principal problem was the
disproportionate response of Israel. Algerians understood
that Hizballah was a terrorist group whose motives were not
pure. Algerians did not support Hizballah and opposed
Islamist-inspired violence. What concerned Algerians most,
said Kouadri, was the potential for Arab youth to become
radicalized and more supportive of terrorist violence because
of Israel's over-reaction. That over-reaction was fueling
support for terrorists, especially among the young. The
Algerians also wanted the U.S. not to forget about UNSCR 242,
which seemed no longer to be a U.S. priority. Charge
responded that we wanted to stop the violence and promote a
better life for people of the region based on the precepts of


UNSCR 242 and land for peace. Charge said progress toward a
lasting settlement was complicated by the actions of
non-state actors such as Hizballah. If Israel is to be
enticed to withdraw from territory, the abandoned territory
cannot serve as a launching pad for more attacks.

KEEPING THE DIALOGUE GOING
--------------


6. The Algerian interlocutors closed by reminding Charge
their intent was to be frank and sincere and that they meant
no disrespect to the U.S. In response, Charge said we
welcomed the opinions of civil society. This was a basic
tenet of democracy and one that the U.S. promoted in the
region and elsewhere. Referring to the progress in advancing
U.S.-Algerian relations over the past three years under
Ambassador Erdman, Charge said he hoped the progress would
continue. He reiterated his intent to transmit the message
to Washington officials and the U.S. desire for a just,
comprehensive, and lasting peace in the region.


SIEVERS