CODEL ACKERMAN MEETS WITH ABU MAZEN

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000688 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA, NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV KWBG KPAL KDEM IS SUBJECT: CODEL ACKERMAN MEETS WITH ABU MAZEN Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Rep. Gary Ackerman met with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on April ¶12. Abbas said he was preparing for an April 15 meeting with Israeli PM Olmert. He noted that PA Finance Minister Salam Fayyad would soon be in Washington and hoped he would be received by U.S. officials. He said that PA Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr would meet in Cairo on April 18 with other Arab FMs to discuss follow up to the Arab Summit in Riyadh. Rep. Ackerman expressed doubts about the national unity government (NUG) and encouraged Abbas to become more politically active, to reform Fatah, and to support leadership within the movement's young guard. Abbas said Fatah is reforming and might be ready for early elections in six to nine months. He requested U.S. support, specifically asking Ackerman,s help in lifting banking restrictions and resuming USG assistance programs. End summary. MEETING WITH OLMERT AND REGIONAL EFFORTS -------------- ¶2. (C) Abbas said he hoped to make progress in his April 15 meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert on security and economic issues as well as the political horizon and President Bush,s vision of a two-state solution. Chief PLO Negotiator Sa,eb Erekat added that the "good chemistry" between Abbas and Olmert might allow them to discuss specifics such as trade and customs arrangements and Palestinian governmental institutions under a two-state solution. Abbas said he would brief Olmert on the Arab Peace Initiative and will urge the Arab League to send a high level Arab delegation to Israel to follow up. Ackerman and the Consul General encouraged Abbas to have Arab League Secretary General Moussa lead a delegation that would include not only Palestinians, Egyptians, and Jordanians, but also representatives from Arab countries without formal relations with Israel. Abbas said FM Abu Amr would meet with other Arab FMs in Cairo April 18 to follow up on the Arab Summit in Riyadh, establish working groups, and assign delegations to visit Israel and coordinate with international partners, including the Quartet, the UNSC, and the UNSYG. NUG AND FATAH REFORM -------------- ¶3. (C) Responding to Rep. Ackerman,s concerns about the NUG, Abbas said it was the only viable solution to prevent a civil war and it had allowed time for Fatah reform. He said he thinks Fatah could be ready to win early Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) elections in six to nine months. To this end, he is focusing on internal party reform, security reform, and a political horizon with the GOI. Rep. Ackerman said the USD 59 million security package indicated that, despite Congressional concerns about the NUG, U.S. officials still have confidence in Abbas, leadership. He urged Abbas to become more politically active and to develop leadership within the movement,s young guard. Abbas and Erekat urged Congress to support the PA President by lifting banking restrictions and increasing USG assistance projects that could help demonstrate Abbas, ability to deliver tangible benefits to the Palestinian people. BUILDING ISRAELI CONFIDENCE -------------- ¶4. (C) Rep. Ackerman urged Abbas to take actions which would build confidence with Israel, such as stating the right of return would be exercised only to a Palestinian state. Abbas responded that the language he added to the Arab Peace Initiative, "a just and agreed upon solution," would mean any arrangement would require Israel's agreement. He said he would clarify this point with PM Olmert. Responding to Rep. Ackerman,s question about prisoner releases, Abbas said he is still trying to secure Israeli Cpl. Shalit,s release, and noted that Hamas had given the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for Shalit to Egypt without consulting him. In the context of confidence-building, Abbas and Erekat remarked that Abbas was the only Arab leader to publicly condemn Iranian President Ahmadinejad,s call for the destruction of Israel but had received no political credit for it. Ackerman closed by saying he believes supporting President Abbas is in the interest of both Israel and the U.S. ¶5. (U) Rep. Ackerman did not have the opportunity to clear this cable before departure. WALLES