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

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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
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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
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
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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.

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5. (C) Malaysia did not welcome the presence of OIC
Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu at the Islamabad

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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
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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
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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