APHSCT TOWNSEND NOVEMBER 15 MEETING WITH SAUDI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 009079

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2015
TAGS: KISL KIRF PREL PTER SA
SUBJECT: APHSCT TOWNSEND NOVEMBER 15 MEETING WITH SAUDI
ISLAMIC AFFAIRS MINISTER

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Gfoeller for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: On November 15, 2006, Assistant to the
President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (APHSCT)
Frances Fragos Townsend met with SAG Islamic Affairs Minister
Sheikh Saleh bin Abdul Aziz bin Mohammed Al al-Sheikh to
discuss SAG re-education of imams and mosque speakers both
inside and outside the KSA, oversight of mosque sermons, and
review and revision of textbooks and curricula to promote
tolerance. While the Ministry has worked on these issues
since they last met a year ago, the Minister said re-training
of imams and mosque speakers inside the KSA will take another
two years. He gave no end date for the revision of textbooks
and curricula inside the KSA. He added that the Education
Ministry, not his ministry, is responsible for the review and
revision of Saudi-sponsored curricula used outside the KSA.
END SUMMARY.

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2. (C) On November 15, Minister Al al-Sheikh told APHSCT
Townsend that the USG and SAG share a common objective in
facilitating mutual understanding and improving sermons,
textbooks, and curricula. He noted that, while the Ministry
has achieved progress over the year since they last met, it
is still evaluating Saudi-sponsored imams outside of the KSA
and has not begun to train them. He also said it will take
another two years for the ministry to train imams and mosque
speakers within the Kingdom. He emphasized that the SAG is
pursuing these measures because one of its core principles is
teaching &true Islam8 and teaching it in the right way. He
re-emphasized a point he
made a year ago that the SAG is doing this not because anyone
is pressuring it, but rather because it wants to "correct
Islamic discourse." Nonetheless, Al al-Sheikh emphasized
that changing attitudes requires a long time and much effort.



3. (C) Al al-Sheikh said that Friday sermons are now more
rational and less extremist, including on foreign policy
issues like Palestine and Afghanistan. He noted that the
Ministry still must periodically deal with troublemakers,
especially after incidents of violence in Palestine or Iraq
(notably if women and children are injured or killed). He
said that throughout the KSA, imams and speakers are being
trained in special schools and that imams must now have a
bachelor,s degree. He noted that some imams have master,s
degrees or even doctorates. These special schools train
imams and speakers in certain skills, notably public speaking
and administration of mosques. This training also indirectly
improves their Islamic religious skills. He promised that
the SAG will continue to pursue this training over the next
two years.

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4. (C) Townsend thanked Al al-Sheikh for his good work with
U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom Hanford.
Al al-Sheikh said that a special high commission oversees the
review of textbooks. (NOTE: He did not clarify whether this
commission only reviews textbooks used inside the KSA or also
reviews textbooks used outside the KSA. END NOTE.) He said
the commission is slowly moving forward and has already
corrected many textbooks. He added that the commission,s
job is further complicated and slowed whenever it reviews
religious statements. He said his Ministry reviews and
revises curricula used inside the KSA, but that the Education
Ministry is responsible for the review and revision of
Saudi-sponsored curricula used outside the KSA. Al al-Sheikh
said that when Saudi schools belong to Saudi embassies,
ambassadors and school officials are responsible for the
curricula. He pointed out that when Ghazi bin Abd al-Rahman
Al-Gosaibi was the Saudi ambassador in London, he made a lot
of changes to the curricula of the Saudi Academy there (NOTE:
al-Gosaibi, a liberal in the Saudi political context, is
currently Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.)


5. (C) As APHSCT Townsend thanked Al al-Sheikh for the
meeting and for updating her on his effort. Al al-Sheikh
expressed that he was happy to have had the meeting and that
it helps to serve KSA objectives as well. He further noted
the questions Townsend raised lie at the core of the issues
KSA government must address. Al al-Sheikh ended by noting
that there is a lot of misunderstanding and misperceptions
regarding Saudi Arabia because of the &deeds of a few.8 He
hopes there will be an increased understanding of KSA at both

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the highest levels and throughout the US in general.


6. (U) This cable has been cleared by APHSCT Townsend.
OBERWETTER