TFLE01: ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL AMRE

UNCLAS CAIRO 004784 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL LE EG IS SUBJECT: TFLE01: ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL AMRE MOUSSA,S STATEMENT TO JOURNALISTS AUGUST 2, 2006 ¶1. SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION: Arab League (AL) Secretary General Amre Moussa issued a statement on August 2 describing the conclusions of the meeting of perm reps held earlier in the day; the first such meetings since the outbreak of hostilities in Lebanon. In his statement, Moussa said that the perm reps had agreed to ask their counterparts at the UN to call for an emergency meeting of the UN's Human Rights Council. Moussa also criticized the idea of a new international force, claiming that any such force would protect Israel, rather than Lebanon. He said that the Arab countries would only agree to Siniora's proposal to support the existing international forces. Moussa also noted that the possibility of an Arab Summit still exists. An informal Embassy translation of Moussa's press statement follows. END SUMMARY. ¶2. Begin text: In yesterday's emergency meeting, the Arab League Council assigned Arab Ambassadors in New York to call for an emergency meeting of the UN's Human Rights Council to discuss the Israeli offensive on Lebanon and the HR violations rendered. Moussa stated that AL Permanent Delegates assigned the Arab Group in New York would call on the Security Council to take an immediate decision of cease-fire on Lebanon, adding that if the council failed, they will resort to the UN,s General Assembly to discuss the crisis. Moussa stated to journalists that the AL council supported Egypt's proposal of conducting an immediate international investigation on the second Qana massacre that was committed by the Israeli destructive forces. He affirmed that the council criticized severely the "disability" of the Security Council to achieve ceasefire. Moussa mentioned that the Council praised the Lebanese people's steadfastness that is resisting the Israeli invasion, the Lebanese resistance (without naming Hezbollah), and the Arab support to the Lebanese people. On the international will to send international forces to South Lebanon or the Syrian-Lebanese borders, Moussa stated that we as Arabs agree to the seven points that were mentioned in the Lebanese PM's speech at the Rome Conference, in addition to the three points addressed by the Lebanese Parliament Speaker on the importance of enhancing the international force in South Lebanon. Moussa criticized the international demands for sending new international forces and added that these forces will be for the protection of Israel, the aggressor country, while the forces should be for the protection of Lebanon, the aggressed country. He elaborated saying that international multi-force concept is not acceptable to Arab countries and they will not implement it and noted that they agree only on Siniora's proposal to support the existing international forces. In reply to a question on sending Arab military forces to Lebanon, Moussa stated that military support to Lebanon has not been discussed by the League's council, adding that the current Lebanese resistance is highly praised. Moussa said that holding an Arab Summit is still possible and that the Arab people are waiting for Arab leaders' stance towards the current situation. Moussa stated that some Arab countries (naming Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE) have informed the League of their financial and humanitarian support to Lebanon, adding that they have deposited money in Lebanese banks and pledged financial grants to reconstruct Lebanon. Moussa reiterated that the problem is not reconstructing Lebanon, but rather reaching a ceasefire. He also condemned the American military support to Israel and called for a stance against providing Israel with weapons. Moussa declared that he will conduct an Arab tour beginning August 2 starting with Jordan and will then make a trip Saturday to Saudi Arabia, Syria and Lebanon to reach an Arab stance to support Lebanon and confront aggression. End text. RICCIARDONE