MALAYSIAN OIC DIPLOMAT ON HAMAS VISIT, PAKISTAN,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000467 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP AND NEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2017 TAGS: PREL ETTC KISL KNNP OIC IS PK IR MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIAN OIC DIPLOMAT ON HAMAS VISIT, PAKISTAN, IRAN REF: A. KUALA LUMPUR 419 - POSSIBLE FM VISIT TO BAGHDAD ¶B. KUALA LUMPUR 417 - HAMAS VISIT ¶C. KUALA LUMPUR 382 - MALAYSIA POSITION ON IRAN UNCHANGED BY IAEA REPORT ¶D. KUALA LUMPUR 381 - PAKISTAN INITIATIVE ¶E. 06 KUALA LUMPUR 2271 - MALAYSIA'S OIC ROLE Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark, reasons 1.4 (b an d d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) The March 3 visit of a senior Hamas leader was in line with Prime Minister Abdullah's desire to engage directly and in more detail on Middle East issues, Malaysia's senior OIC diplomat Ambassador Ibrahim Abdullah told polchief March ¶9. The Pakistan initiative represents a "repackaging" of the 2002 Arab peace proposals, and the follow-up summit is in competition with the Arab Summit planned for March 28. During the February 22 OIC ministerial in Jeddah, Malaysia joined other OIC countries in blocking an Iranian attempt to have the OIC call for all Muslim nations to sever ties with Israel, despite press reports of statements by Foreign Minister Syed Hamid seeming to support such a measure. Malaysia backs calls for Iran to follow the IAEA rules of the road in developing a nuclear energy program, Ambassador Ibrahim stated. Malaysia will join in a late March OIC meeting in Jeddah intended to forge unity among factions of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) from the Philippines. Ambassador Ibrahim did not indicate any GOM planning for diplomatic initiatives relative to Iraq or Afghanistan, but suggested Malaysia might respond positively to invitations from the two countries. End Summary. Hamas Visit - A Wanted Surprise -------------- ¶2. (C) 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),on March 9 and discussed a broad range of OIC and West Asia issues. Ambassador Ibrahim noted that PM Abdullah's March 3 meeting with Hamas official Khalid Meshaal (ref B) reflected the Prime Minister's desire to engage directly and in more detail with Arab and West Asian leaders, rather than only through larger groupings like the OIC. Ibrahim confirmed that Malaysia had only one day's �A;notice to prepare for the Hamas visit. The meeting was to have taken place in Damascus, during PM Abdullah's recent mission there, but the Hamas official was traveling at the time. Palestinian President Abbas was generally aware of PM Abdullah's intention to speak with Hamas, and did not object, Ibrahim claimed. PM Abdullah used the meeting to encourage Hamas to join in the formation of a unity government, and to learn more about challenges facing the Palestinian people. ¶3. (C) Ibrahim hoped the U.S. would release funding for the Palestinian Authority following the creation of a unity government and polchief asked whether Malaysia had encouraged Hamas to drop its position on the destruction of Israel. Ibrahim replied that Malaysia had not raised this issue, but he claimed Hamas' acceptance of the 2002 Arab peace plan and agreement to enter into a unity government with Fatah represented at least a tacit change in the Hamas' stance toward Israel. As in our December 2006 meeting with Ibrahim (ref E),the Malaysian diplomat spoke of the need to undercut Hamas' legitimacy and to avoid actions that made Hamas into a martyr for the Palestinian cause. Pakistan Initiative - Repackaging the 2002 Plan -------------- -- ¶4. (C) Ambassador Ibrahim, who attended the February 25 meeting of foreign ministers in Islamabad, reiterated that the Pakistan Initiative appeared to be a "repackaging" of the 2002 Arab peace plan (closely mirroring comments from another senior Malaysian official, ref D). The meeting produced no clear consensus on any new measures. The next step would be a summit in Mecca, but it remains to be seen if Saudi Arabia will convene this gathering before the Arab summit planned for March 28, also in Saudi Arabia. Ibrahim implied that the Arab summit likely would undercut the Pakistan Initiative summit. Ibrahim appeared pleased that Malaysia had increased its Middle East/West Asia profile through the Pakistan Initiative, but otherwise did not suggest the effort offered any promise. KUALA LUMP 00000467 002 OF 002 ¶5. (C) Malaysia did not welcome the presence of OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu at the Islamabad SIPDIS meeting as this had raised questions as to why all OIC members were not invited. Ibrahim said that of late the OIC SecGen undertook activities based on his political ambitions back in Turkey, rather than on the interests of the OIC. Malaysia would hand over the OIC chairmanship to Senegal in March 2008, following recent confirmation that Senegal would be prepared to host the OIC hand over summit at that point. (Comment: From this and earlier conversations, we are left with the impression of strained relations between Malaysia as the OIC chair and the OIC Secretary General. End Comment.) Call to Sever Ties with Israel? -------------- ¶6. (C) Polchief asked Ibrahim regarding press reports of remarks attributed to Foreign Minister Syed Hamid during the February 22 OIC ministerial in Jeddah, in which the Foreign Minister seemingly supported calls for all OIC members to sever ties with Israel. (Note: Malaysia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. Hamid's "principled moves" in allegedly advocating an end to Muslim countries' relations with Israel drew praise in Malaysia from a prominent anti-West commentator. End Note.) Ambassador Ibrahim did not confirm or deny Hamid making such comments, but clarified that Iran had raised this subject and had attempted to insert it into the OIC meeting's declaration. Malaysia joined all other countries in opposing Iran's language and the OIC did not include this in the final text. Iran Should Play by the Rules -------------- ¶7. (C) Polchief conveyed the latest U.S. perspectives on the Iran nuclear issue. Emphasizing the U.S. focus on a diplomatic solution and our UNSC discussions, polchief urged Malaysia to use its communications with Iran to reinforce the notion that Iran must bring itself into compliance with IAEA rules and related UNSC resolutions. Without mincing words about Iran's purported intentions, Ambassador Ibrahim stated clearly that Malaysia wants Iran to play by internationally agreed rules for developing nuclear technology, does not support Iran going outside the IAEA framework, and had said as much in confidential conversations with Iran at least as early as one year ago. (Comment: Another senior Malaysian diplomat told us recently that the latest IAEA report on Iran's non-compliance had not changed Malaysia's position on the issue, ref C. End Comment.) Malaysia Would Consider Iraq, Afghan Invitations to Help -------------- -------------- ¶8. (C) Polchief asked Ambassador Ibrahim regarding Malaysia's plans to engage with the Iraqi and Afghan governments. Ibrahim said there were no plans, and he stated the GOM was not considering sending senior delegations to either country. Malaysia, however, welcomed recent Iraqi parliamentary delegations and in the past had been glad to offer training to limited numbers of Iraqi diplomats. One Malaysian NGO already was operational in Afghanistan. While Malaysia was not poised to take new initiatives regarding Iraq and Afghanistan, it would consider invitations and requests for aid from the two countries. The onus was on Baghdad and Kabul, Ibrahim said. OIC Addressing MNLF Unity -------------- ¶9. (C) Ambassador Ibrahim noted that Malaysia would take part in an OIC meeting in late March in Jeddah aimed at unifying the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF),an insurgent group which has splintered into factions following a peace deal with the Philippines government in 1996. Ibrahim said the MNLF's fracturing impeded security and development for Muslims in Mindanao. LAFLEUR