PAKISTAN PUSHES MIDDLE-EAST PEACE INITIATIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 000895 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2016 TAGS: PK PREL PTER SUBJECT: PAKISTAN PUSHES MIDDLE-EAST PEACE INITIATIVE FORWARD Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary and comment. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri convened a meeting in Islamabad of the Foreign Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia. The session was billed as a continuation of President Musharraf's efforts to work with like-minded Muslim states to resolve the Israel-Arab dispute, to stem violence in Iraq, to stabilize Lebanon, and to de-escalate tensions over Iran's nuclear program. The fact that the Foreign Ministers of Egypt and Saudi Arabia agreed to attend a Mideast-focused event hastily organized by a non-Arab state seems to indicate that, like the Pakistanis, other Muslim nations are deeply worried that sectarianism and militancy could spill out of Iraq at a dangerous rate. Paragraph 3 contains an action request: Post asks the Department to request action adressees to provide feedback on what attendees are saying about the meeting and about plans for a like-minded summit in Saudi Arabia. End summary and comment. Pakistan Urges FM's to Solve Middle East's Problems -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) On February 24, Pakistani Foreign Minister Kasuri called together fellow Foreign Ministers from key Islamic capitals to drive forward the Middle-East peace initiative President Musharraf initiated in January (Reftel). The Pakistani Foreign Ministry described the meeting as a "one day consultation" designed to prepare for a summit in Saudi Arabia. A joint-statement issued by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and several editorial accounts of the meeting indicate that the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia, and Malaysia "viewed with deep distress the conflict in Iraq," fear that sectarian tensions will spill across Iraq's borders, and worry about a "festering" Palestinian dispute, violence in Lebanon, and rising tensions over Iran's nuclear program. The Foreign Ministers agreed--in principle--on the need for a Muslim world peace initiative to solve Palestinian conflict and the other crises in the region. ¶3. (C) This is an action request. We would appreciate any feedback from action addressees as to what the Foreign Ministers in attendance thought of the meeting and of Musharraf's initiative. We are also interested in hearing about a planned summit in Saudi Arabia, an idea Musharraf says he broached during his recent visit to Mecca. CROCKER