ARAB INTERIOR MINISTERS JANUARY 30-31 MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TUNIS 000223 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/MAG - LAWRENCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2016 TAGS: PREL ASEC PTER TS SUBJECT: ARAB INTERIOR MINISTERS JANUARY 30-31 MEETING Classified By: AMBASSADOR WILLIAM HUDSON FOR REASONS 1.5 (b) AND (d) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. The 23rd session of the Arab League Interior Ministers took place in Tunisia on January 30 and ¶31. According to press reports, ministers examined the security situations in Arab countries and discussed ways of combating terrorism, extremism, violence and organized crimes. Participants condemned terrorism in all its forms and expressed their determination to reinforce cooperation in information sharing and financial crimes. The group also specifically criticized the role of the Internet and satellite television in spreading hatred and encouraging terrorism. Ministers criticized the recent publication of caricatures of the prophet Mohammed in the European press. The Ministers' council also invited all ministers to support police forces in Iraq, Lebanon and Somalia. The local press carried statements from the Iraqi, Syrian and Sudanese ministers who attended. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) In addition to Arab Interior ministers and other security officials, the session was also attended by Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa (who also spoke at the January 30 Dialogue on Civilizations conference, held in Tunis under the auspices of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization),Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, UN Deputy Secretary General for Safety and Security David Veness, GCC Secretary General Abderrahman Bin Hamad al-Attiya and Secretary General of the Arab Interior Ministers Council Mohamed Ibn Ali Koumane. In seperate meetings, Tunisian President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali met with Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef ben Abdelaziz (currently the honorary president of the council of Arab interior ministers) and Arab League SYG Moussa. ¶3. (SBU) In the final statement, the participants expressed their total condemnation of terrorism "in all its forms, ways, reasons and justifications," while calling for a new anti-terrorism law that would apply to all Arab states. They called on all those working in the political, cultural, religious, security and press fields to coordinate their efforts to combat terrorism. The ministers also expressed their determination to reinforce their cooperation in security by exchanging experiences and information, blocking financial resources for terrorism and depriving terrorists of shelter in any country under any cover. They also rejected the connection between Islam and terrorism and expressed their support for the holding of an international summit on terrorism under the auspices of the United Nations. ¶4. (C) Ministers also called for the banning of the use of the Internet for spreading the culture of hatred among nations and religions. Additionally, they called for new legislation that would allow for the blocking of Internet sites that incite terrorism and explain bomb production. (NOTE: While perhaps valuable for security purposes, the GOT, for one, often exploits this logic to block local and international websites that criticize the government. END NOTE.) ¶5. (C) Local security contacts reported that the group discussed at length the possible impact of the recent publication in a Danish newspaper of inflammatory caricatures of the prophet Mohammed on security in Europe and the region. Press reports noted the ministers' condemnation of the publication of these caricatures and called on the Danish government to punish those who were responsible. Some ministers were reported as saying the caricatures represented an attack on all Muslims. It was also reported that Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef encouraged other Arab nations to withdraw their ambassadors from Denmark, as Saudi Arabia and some other Arab countries had. ¶6. (SBU) Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Jabr Solagh told the local Arabic newspaper as-Sabah that 4,000 members of the Iraqi security forces have been killed in the past three years and double the number of volunteers. Speaking about the Hamas victory in the Palestinian elections, the minister said that the democracy that started in Iraq must spread to other countries in the region. He added, "We have to accept the rules of the game and work with the Palestinian people's choice." ¶7. (SBU) Syrian Justice Minister Mohamed al-Ghafari told the local press that "the campaign against Syria has surpassed Syria alone and now touches every Arab country." He was also reported to have said that Syria has cooperated with the international investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and that Syria welcomed Arab mediation, and support, in this matter. He added that he had not met with Lebanese minister Hassan al-Saba, while TUNIS 00000223 002 OF 002 al-Saba was quoted as saying that his country was awaiting the results of the investigation to determine who was responsible. ¶8. (SBU) Separately, Sudanese Interior Minister Zubeir Bashir Taha, who was participating in this meeting for the first time, told the local paper ash-Shourouq that "Our sovereignty is a red line for all." He went on to say that African Union (AU) forces in Darfur do not have a hidden agenda and they are capable of maintaining security. Taha also expressed his satisfaction with the recent AU summit in Khartoum, saying "we were pleased with the subjects raised" (i.e. education, Security Council representation, African debt). Regarding the withdrawal of Sudan from the AU presidential contest, Taha said that "Major international players who have special interests in the geological resources of Darfur created this problem to provide a justification for getting closer to these resources." HUDSON