IRAQ: MUBARAK'S TELEVISED REMARKS CREATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002202 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS PTER EG IZ SUBJECT: IRAQ: MUBARAK'S TELEVISED REMARKS CREATE CONTROVERSY, IRAQI RESPONSE REF: FBIS GMP20060409517001 Classified by ECPO Minister Counselor Michael Corbin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. Only three days ahead of an Arab League foreign ministerial meeting on Iraq, Egyptian President Mubarak created waves during an Al Arabiya television interview (Ref) aired April 8, in which he questioned the national loyalties of Iraq's and the region's Shiites. While Presidential spokesman Soliman Awad tried to diminish media attention on those comments, he may have contributed further to Iraqi upset. During the lengthy interview, Mubarak blamed Saddam Hussein for Iraq's current crisis, asserted that Iraq did not want foreign or Arab forces there, and claimed that a hasty American troop pull-out would be "disasterous." Despite indications from the Iraqi Embassy in Cairo that FM Zebari tried to keep the incident from harming relations with Egypt, as a result of the Mubarak interview, we understand Zebari will not attend the Arab League's Iraq ministerial meeting April 12 in Cairo. The DCM conveyed USG displeasure over the timing and substance of Mubarak's Arabiya remarks to MFA Chef du Cabinet Wafaa Bassim on April 11. End summary. -------------- Mubarak Offends Shiites -------------- ¶2. (U) During a lengthy interview on pan-Arab satellite TV station Al Arabiya - aired April 8 - Egyptian President Mubarak discussed the Iraqi "catastrophe," noted the "near" civil war" in Iraq, and accused all Shiites of owing their allegiance to Tehran. On the latter issue, responding to a question on Iran's influence over Iraq, Mubarak said that "Iran has influence on the Shiites. This is not just talk; they have many people...The Shiites' loyalty is always to Iran. Most of them are loyal to Iran, and not to their countries." ¶3. (C) Mubarak's comments elicited anger among Iraqis in Egypt, particularly as efforts to assemble a new government are rumored to be near completion among major Iraqi factions. Iraq's Charge in Cairo, Saad Ridha (a Shia),told poloff April 11 there was a "bad reaction" in Baghdad over Mubarak's Arabiya remarks. He noted that many senior Iraqi leaders publicly condemned the comments, and that the Iraqi government "does not accept" Mubarak's remarks. Nevertheless, Ridha added, Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari called him soon after the interview to relay that Baghdad wanted to downplay the incident to minimize damage to relations with Egypt. ¶4. (C) Later April 11, the Iraqi Charge called to say the GOI decided that FM Zebari would not participate in the AL Iraq Follow-Up Committee ministerial scheduled for April 12 in Cairo. The Charge said that Arab League SYG Moussa had called PM Ja'afari and President Talabani to encourage Zebari's attendance, arguing that the GOI should separate its dispute with Mubarak from the Arab League. Ja'afari, the Charge said, referred the matter to the Ministerial Council, but the Council confirmed Zebari's cancellation. A further decision to boycott the gathering (or send a more junior representative) had yet to be made by the GOI. Arab League Spokesman Alaa Rushdy told poloff April 11 that PM Ja'afari was expected to call SYG Moussa shortly with a decision. -------------- Spokesman Adds Insult to Injury -------------- ¶5. (C) Responding to criticism of President Mubarak's remarks, Egypt's state wire service MENA published comments from Presidential Spokeseman and Senior Policy Advisor Soliman Awad made April 9, aimed at defusing tensions created by the interview. Awad was quoted saying that Mubarak was referring to "Shiite sympathies to Iran because of its (Iran's) hosting of the holy shrines." As the Iraqi Charge pointed out to poloff, Iraq is the place that hosts the holy Shiite sites - not Iran. During an April 11 conversation with poloff, MFA Spokesman Alaa Hadidi attempted to downplay Mubarak's remarks, saying the comments had been "misunderstood" by the Iraqis. Asked about the timing of the President's remarks, coming as Iraq struggles to form a new government and ahead of the Arab League ministerial, Hadidi simply said that the timing was "unfortunate." -------------- U.S. Withdrawal a "Disaster" -------------- ¶6. (U) Repeating comments previously made to American visitors regarding the likely consequences of a hasty U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq, Mubarak said that an American withdrawal now would be a "disaster." War between Iraqis, he added, would "rage more," and "many forces will get involved." Iraq, he continued, would become a theater for an ugly civil war where terrorist operations will rage, as it would in "a number of other places." Asked if a civil war already existed in Iraq, Mubarak stated there was "nearly a civil war" ("takreeban") and that he did not see a solution for it. "Iraq is almost destroyed now," he added. Asked when Egypt would reopen its Embassy in Baghdad, Mubarak said "when we become certain that security prevails" there. -------------- Arab League Iraq Follow-Up Committee to Meet -------------- ¶7. (C) If the AL ministerial goes ahead without Iraqi participation April 12, the controversy over Mubarak's remarks will likely resonate strongly at the April 12 gathering. As of late April 11, plans were still on for the meeting to go ahead, according to the AL Spokesman. Foreign Ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, the Emirates, Algeria, and Sudan were scheduled to attend. Iraq's Ambassador to the League, Raad al-Alusi, told poloff April 11 that the ministers were to meet for two to three hours mid-day, and continue over lunch hosted by Egyptian FM Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Alusi, a Sunni close to former PM Allawi, attempted to brush off the controversy over Mubarak's remarks, saying the Egyptian President had "spoken the truth" - "of course they (Iraq's Shia) support Iran." -------------- Arab League Office to Open Soon -------------- ¶8. (C) The ministerial will likely also address League plans to open an office in Baghdad, staffed by a senior diplomat from the region. Moroccan diplomat Mokhtar Lamani, a Berber who last served as Ambassador of the Organization of Islamic Conferences at the United Nations in New York, will represent the League there. He plans to travel to Baghdad in the coming week. In addition to discussing a funding mechanism for the AL mission in Iraq, ministers are expected to address planning for a possible Iraqi National Accord Conference in Iraq this June. Note: Lamani welcomes engagement with the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and intends to consult widely with all parties in Iraq "except Al Qaida," he told poloff on the margins of the AL Summit in Khartoum. End note. -------------- Embassy Raises Issue with GOE -------------- ¶9. (C) On April 11, the DCM spoke with MFA Chef du Cabinet Wafaa Bassim to stress USG concern over the content and timing of President Mubarak's remarks on Iraq during the Arabiya interview. Noting the sensitive and delicate negotiations on government formation ongoing in Baghdad, the DCM urged GOE restraint with its public statements on Iraq. Bassim accepted the message, promising to convey the demarche promptly to the Foreign Minister. RICCIARDONE