MALAYSIA ENCOURAGED BY U.S. OIC ENVOY DECISION;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 001166 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2027 TAGS: PREL PGOV KISL KPKO MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIA ENCOURAGED BY U.S. OIC ENVOY DECISION; SUPPORTS FATAH; RELUCTANT TO NAME IRAQ ENVOY REF: A. KUALA LUMPUR 1137 - DPM ON DARFUR PEACEKEEPING ¶B. KUALA LUMPUR 467 - OIC DIPLOMAT ON HAMAS VISIT ¶C. KUALA LUMPUR 419 - POSSIBLE FM VISIT TO BAGHDAD ¶D. KUALA LUMPUR 417 - HAMAS VISIT ¶E. KUALA LUMPUR 382 - MALAYSIA UNCHANGED ON IRAN ¶F. KUALA LUMPUR 381 - PAKISTAN INITIATIVE ¶G. 06 KUALA LUMPUR 2271 - MALAYSIA'S OIC ROLE Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b and d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Malaysia's senior OIC diplomat Ibrahim Abdullah, speaking with us on July 13, reiterated that Malaysia welcomed the U.S. decision to appoint a special envoy to the OIC, and he encouraged the envoy to visit Malaysia as the OIC chair. The OIC Secretary General asked Malaysia to identify an Iraq special envoy, but no one in Malaysia wanted the job. Malaysia continues to quietly support Fatah over Hamas, while viewing Palestinian unity as essential to peace. End Summary. Malaysia Welcomes Future U.S. Envoy to OIC -------------- ¶2. (C) On July 13, Polchief called on Ambassador Ibrahim Abdullah, Malaysia's leading diplomat supporting Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's role as Chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC),and discussed Muslim world issues. Polchief noted that President Bush had written to Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi concerning the President's intention to name a special envoy to the OIC. Reiterating Malaysia's earlier public remarks, Ibrahim stated that Malaysia viewed this decision as very positive and welcome. He asked if the special envoy would visit Malaysia, given Malaysia's OIC chairmanship role. Such a stop would highlight U.S. understanding that the Muslim world is not confined to the Middle East. In addition, Malaysia presents a good example of a successful, modern Muslim country, Ibrahim commented. Polchief said he would share Ibrahim's informal comments with Washington. No Takers for OIC's Iraq Job -------------- ¶3. (C) Ibrahim explained that the OIC Secretary General had asked Malaysia to assign a senior official to act as the OIC special envoy to Iraq. This request reflected Malaysia's position as OIC chair, but also its distance from the various factions fighting in Iraq. Malaysia had not identified any candidates, however, because "no one wants to go to Iraq" given the difficult security situation. Ibrahim left the impression that no Malaysian would take up this OIC task. (Note: Earlier in the year, Foreign Minister Syed Hamid had planned a visit to Baghdad, which he then canceled for security reasons, ref C. End Note.) Malaysia Backs Abbas and Fatah -------------- ¶4. (C) On Palestine, Malaysia continued to quietly favor Fatah over Hamas, and Malaysia acknowledged Abbas' right to dissolve the Palestinian government and form another. Because Malaysia recognized Abbas as the legitimate leader, and did not support Hamas' militant agenda, Malaysia earlier had been careful to provide its U.S. $16 million in aid direct to Abbas, rather than to Hamas-controlled Palestinian entities. The Malaysian government also had to view Hamas through the prism of domestic politics, given that the opposition Islamist party PAS had aligned itself with Hamas. Malaysia had received the visit of Hamas official Khalid Meshaal in March in order to encourage moves to forge a Palestinian unity government. The GOM, however, turned off a possible visit by senior Hamas leaders in late June/early July in part because the government believed their mission would play into the hands of PAS. While noting Malaysia's backing of Fatah, Ibrahim emphasized that Palestinian unity remained essential in order to reach a peace agreement with Israel. Peacekeeping in Sudan, as well as Lebanon -------------- ¶5. (C) Ibrahim noted Malaysia's interest in providing KUALA LUMP 00001166 002 OF 002 peacekeepers for a UN mission in Sudan, if the UN could clarify the terms of its request, particularly funding (ref A). This interest was in line with PM Abdullah's desire for OIC countries to get more involved in addressing the Darfur crisis and assisting Sudan. Ibrahim also said Malaysia wished to extend the deployment of its troops in Lebanon under UNIFIL. LAFLEUR