Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JEDDAH387
2006-05-24 13:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jeddah
Cable title:
OIC OFFICIAL: LIBYANS AND SYRIANS BEHIND FEEBLE
how-toVZCZCXRO5985 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS DE RUEHJI #0387 1441301 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 241301Z MAY 06 FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9195 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1401 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1479 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 6527 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 4500 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 2709 RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JEDDAH 000387
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR
TSOU; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/RA; NSC FOR FARAH
SIPDIS
PANDITH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2016
TAGS: ECON IS KISL KPAL PGOV PREL SA
SUBJECT: OIC OFFICIAL: LIBYANS AND SYRIANS BEHIND FEEBLE
ATTEMPT TO REJUVENATE BOYCOTT OFFICE
REF: A. JEDDAH 236
B. JEDDAH 366
Classified By: Hector Morales for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L JEDDAH 000387
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR
TSOU; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/RA; NSC FOR FARAH
SIPDIS
PANDITH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2016
TAGS: ECON IS KISL KPAL PGOV PREL SA
SUBJECT: OIC OFFICIAL: LIBYANS AND SYRIANS BEHIND FEEBLE
ATTEMPT TO REJUVENATE BOYCOTT OFFICE
REF: A. JEDDAH 236
B. JEDDAH 366
Classified By: Hector Morales for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) In a May 23 discussion with ConGenOff at a reception
sponsored by Post, Bilal K. Sasso, head of protocol and
public relations at the Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC),attributed the recent but feeble attempt to
rejuvenate the Israel Boycott Office to pressure from the
Libyan and Syrian governments. Sasso, who is Lebanese, said
that the OIC member states' representatives had held only a
handful of meetings relating to the boycott in the first 20
years of the Office's existence.
2. (C) It was not until Libyan and Syrian pressure to
strengthen inter-member cooperation on the issue arose three
years ago that annual meetings have since been held.
According to Sasso, the OIC and the majority of its member
states remain reluctant to make the boycott a priority. As
evidence of this, Sasso claimed that the OIC did not send a
single representative to the last Arab League boycott meeting
in Damascus because it "was not worth the expense of paying
for someone to attend." He further indicated that OIC High
Commissioner of the Islamic Boycott Salem Al Honi's interest
is lukewarm, though as a Libyan he is obligated to promote
his country's official position in public.
3. (C) By contrast, Sasso emphasized that the OIC considered
the expansion of contact with the USG a high priority and
enthusiastically offered to arrange meetings between
consulate staff and the OIC's incoming director general and
head of political affairs.
Morales
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR
TSOU; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/RA; NSC FOR FARAH
SIPDIS
PANDITH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2016
TAGS: ECON IS KISL KPAL PGOV PREL SA
SUBJECT: OIC OFFICIAL: LIBYANS AND SYRIANS BEHIND FEEBLE
ATTEMPT TO REJUVENATE BOYCOTT OFFICE
REF: A. JEDDAH 236
B. JEDDAH 366
Classified By: Hector Morales for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) In a May 23 discussion with ConGenOff at a reception
sponsored by Post, Bilal K. Sasso, head of protocol and
public relations at the Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC),attributed the recent but feeble attempt to
rejuvenate the Israel Boycott Office to pressure from the
Libyan and Syrian governments. Sasso, who is Lebanese, said
that the OIC member states' representatives had held only a
handful of meetings relating to the boycott in the first 20
years of the Office's existence.
2. (C) It was not until Libyan and Syrian pressure to
strengthen inter-member cooperation on the issue arose three
years ago that annual meetings have since been held.
According to Sasso, the OIC and the majority of its member
states remain reluctant to make the boycott a priority. As
evidence of this, Sasso claimed that the OIC did not send a
single representative to the last Arab League boycott meeting
in Damascus because it "was not worth the expense of paying
for someone to attend." He further indicated that OIC High
Commissioner of the Islamic Boycott Salem Al Honi's interest
is lukewarm, though as a Libyan he is obligated to promote
his country's official position in public.
3. (C) By contrast, Sasso emphasized that the OIC considered
the expansion of contact with the USG a high priority and
enthusiastically offered to arrange meetings between
consulate staff and the OIC's incoming director general and
head of political affairs.
Morales