S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001400

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, NEA/RA, DRL AND INR/AA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER KDEM KISL KPAL PINR SOCI SG
SUBJECT: LUNCH WITH ARAB AMBASSADORS TO SENEGAL


Classified By: Political Officer Osman N. Tat for reasons 1.4(b) and (d
).

SUMMARY
--------------

1. (C) On June 18, 2007, the Ambassador hosted a lunch with
Arab Ambassadors. The frank discussion focused on democracy
in the Middle East, terrorism and its root causes, Islamic
parties, methodologies to win elections, the Palestinian
question, and water issues as a potential spark for conflict.
The Ambassadors underscored their peoples, friendship with
the people of the United States but were quick to criticize
the U.S. policy of meeting with Islamic and/or opposition
leaders whom they believe want to topple their governments.
END SUMMARY.

DEMOCRACY
--------------

2. (S) Tunisian Ambassador Jalel Lakhdar (strictly protect),
an extremely well spoken man with a rich vocabulary, a deep
knowledge of the United States and strong views on democracy,
opined that democracy was a boon to the Arab world but
underlined that moderate voices are being both drowned out
and threatened by fundamentalist forces. He feels that
democracy is the only way to modernize the Arab world and
rejects the dark and austere vision of a world rooted in the
Seventh Century that fundamentalists are seeking to impose
through terrorism and the ballot box. This viewpoint was
supported by both Moroccan Ambassador Moha Ouali Tagma and
Algerian Ambassador Abdelhamid Chebchoub. When outlining the
reforms that King Mohammed VI had undertaken in Morocco,
Tagma emphasized democratic ones especially in women,s
rights and fully agreed with Lakhdar that through democracy
comes modernity.


3. (S) However, Tagma (strictly protect) offered
&friendly8 advice as he criticized the U.S policy of
meeting with Islamic parties, especially those that seek to
replace the King with an Islamic Republic: &How can we take

their democratic credentials seriously when they refuse to
recognize the monarchy as a legitimate institution?8 He was
particularly critical of any interaction with Sheikh
Abdessalam Yacine, his daughter and the Justice and Charity
Movement. He went on to say that whenever a U.S.
representative meets with such groups it increases their
credibility and legitimacy. This point received general
support from the other ambassadors, as did his assertion that
the United States preaches democracy but when a group like
Hamas gets elected into power the immediate reaction is
surprise followed by scrambling to disenfranchise them from
the process of governance.

A REJECTION OF TERRORISM
--------------

4. (C) All of the ambassadors agreed that terrorism was the
nemesis of the Arab world and were derisive of the warped
mentality of terrorists whose wish it is to return the whole
region to the Seventh Century. Lakhdar stressed that Arab
societies had to go through the painful process of
self-criticism in order to understand why so many young
people are driven to become, for example, suicide bombers.
He said that such a process would be unusual in the Arab
world but that for the sake of the future of their countries
it was crucial. In reply, Lebanese Ambassador Michel Haddad
agreed but maintained that self-criticism should not turn
into self-flagellation. He also warned that the recent
infighting between Hamas and Fattah and the de facto coup
that Hamas staged was an extremely worrisome development, not
only for Lebanon, which is already dealing with Hezbollah,
but for countries such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia that have
strong, resolute and vocal Islamic parties or terrorist
organizations. While criticizing the Fatah leadership for
doing absolutely nothing to defend its interests in Gaza, he
said that Hamas, action could not be supported. Saudi
Ambassador Shaye Al Khoshiban, who remained quiet throughout
most of the lunch, especially during the discussion on
democracy in the Arab world, nodded in agreement.

THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION
--------------

5. (C) The Ambassadors were unified in the view that there
would be no peace in the Middle East until the Palestinian

DAKAR 00001400 002 OF 002


question s resolved. The new Egyptian Ambassador, Mohamed
Gamal Eldin Eleish, a recent arrival from Niger who has yet
to present his credentials to PresidentWade, was
particularly critical of Israel sayingthat none of the
current crops of politicians cold be trusted. It must be
noted that this is Elish,s first lunch with the U.S. and
Arab Ambassadrs and it is likely that he chose safety in the
tandard criticism of Israel to feel the crowd out efore
opining on anything.

BUYING THE VOTERS
--------------

6. (C) Islamic political parties do a good job when elected,
have a clean-cut non-corrupt image, plenty of financing and
competent candidates. These are the reasons why, the
ambassadors posited, they tend to do well in general
elections throughout the Arab world. Algerian Ambassador
Chebchoub described a typical electioneering strategy that
Islamic leaning parties employ. They go into a neighborhood,
identify a well known, pious and respected local figure, such
as a doctor, and persuade him to run for parliament.
Inevitably, that person is elected as the other parties
usually tend to impose candidates from outside the community.
The Ambassadors described how prior to national elections in
Morocco and Algeria, Islamic parties spend a lot of money in
poor districts handing out basic necessities such as rice,
flour, coal and gas tanks. Furthermore, mayors, municipal
council chairmen and other local leaders associated with
Islamic parties tend to build a reputation of getting the job
done. Trash is picked up, neighborhoods get electricity and
water, and seldom are these figures involved in scandal and
corruption that tend to bring down many politicians from
mainstream parties. Ambassador Tagma said that in Morocco,
the Government is keenly aware of this problem and that the
state is now trying to fill this &services8 void that the
Islamic parties are so quick to exploit.

WATER -- NARY A DROP TO STOP A CONFLAGRATION
--------------

7. (C) Looking to the future the Ambassadors agreed that
large scale multinational conflicts could well be ignited due
to water. According to Ambassador Haddad, desalinized water,
which remains extremely expensive to produce, cannot be used
for growing crops and thus the need to manage rivers and
secure sources of water in an arid region whose population is
booming will continue to be a major source of attrition
between Arab states. Most of the region,s major rivers flow
out of Turkey and that country,s influence will loom large.
Ambassador Lakhdar then reminded the group that Israel and
its need for water, especially from the Jordan River, will
once again bring it into direct conflict with Syria, Lebanon,
the Palestinians and Jordan.

PARTICIPANTS
--------------

8. (SBU) A list of participants follows:

United States:

Ambassador Jacobs
Claud Young, Counselor for Public Affairs
Oz Tat, Political Officer

Arab Guests:

Michel Haddad, Ambassador of Lebanon
Moha Ouali Tagma, Ambassador of Morocco
Jalel Lakhdar, Ambassador of Tunisia
Abdelhamid Chebchoub, Ambassador of Algeria
Dr. Shaye Al Khoshiban, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia
Mohamed Gamal Eldin Eleish, Ambassador of Egypt


9. (U) Visit Embassy Dakar,s SIPRNET Web site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/af/dakar.
JACOBS