ABBAS STOPS IN TUNIS TO SEEK PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TUNIS 001545

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/IPA AND NEA/MAG (HARRIS AND HOPKINS)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017
TAGS: PREL KPAL PGOV IS TS
SUBJECT: ABBAS STOPS IN TUNIS TO SEEK PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR
ANNAPOLIS

Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stopped in Tunis
on November 29 and 30 to brief the GOT, Palestinian leaders
and the diplomatic corps on the Annapolis conference and next
steps for the peace process. According to Palestinian
Ambassador Salman al-Harthy, Abbas came to Tunisia in order
to garner public support from a friendly Arab state.
Al-Harthy said that Abbas, who met twice with President Ben
Ali, was very pleased with the "fruitful and constructive"
visit. On Annapolis, Abbas told resident ambassadors on
November 29 that negotiations would be difficult, but that
Annapolis presented an opportunity that "must be seized." He
said all involved would do their best to reach a final
settlement before the end of President Bush's term in 2008.
End Summary.

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WHY TUNIS?
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2. (C) Abbas, who was resident in Tunisia for over ten years
before Oslo, regularly visits Tunisia to meet with President
Ben Ali, Farouq Qaddoumi and other Fatah Central Committee
officials, and to check on his personal investments.
However, in this case, Palestinian Ambassador al-Harthy told
the Ambassador on November 30 that Abbas chose Tunisia
specifically to garner positive and public Arab support for
the start of negotiations. Ben Ali and the GOT spared no
effort to do so, with an official state welcome, two
tete-a-tete meetings between the Presidents, and significant
positive press coverage. The visit was more noteworthy as
November 29 is International Day of Solidarity with the
Palestinian People, a date Ben Ali always marks by voicing
his support for a "just and lasting peace."

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ANNAPOLIS
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3. (SBU) During a November 29 briefing to the diplomatic
corps, Abbas gave an overview of the preparations for,
content of and follow-on steps from the Annapolis Conference.
Abbas was accompanied by Ahmed Qureia and Nabil Shaath, who
acted as an interpreter. Abbas noted that since President
Bush announced the conference in July, the Palestinian side
had focused on determining, in coordination with the United
States and Israel, what the conference would achieve. Abbas
said that initially the two sides had discussed final status
issues, but the parties decided to focus on what they could
hope to achieve at Annapolis: starting the peace process. As
the joint statement announced by President Bush clearly
stated, the goals were the start of negotiations and the
future work plan. Abbas added that Annapolis is an important
step, as the Palestinians had been calling for an
international conference for 30 years. Now that we have it,
we must seize the opportunity, as we are in "dire need" of
peace, he said.

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AND ON TO PEACE
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4. (SBU) Abbas said that now the two sides will focus on the
implementation of Phase One of the Road Map. That is, the
Israeli, Palestinian, joint Israeli-Palestinian and
international community's commitments. Abbas outlined the
Israeli obligations, then turned to the Palestinian
obligation to undertake security reform. He stressed that
this was not simply an obligation, but rather a Palestinian
national interest. Abbas pledged to achieve this goal within
two months. He said the Palestinians and Israelis had made
some progress on these issues before Annapolis, but further
steps must be taken as outlined in the Road Map. He added
that the two sides would rely on existing documents,
including the Road Map, Madrid principles, various UN
Security Council Resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and
President Bush's own vision. A second achievement from
Annapolis, said Abbas, was the creation of a tripartite (US,
Israeli, Palestinian) commission to oversee the
implementation of these commitments.


5. (SBU) Abbas then turned to upcoming events, noting that
beginning on December 12 the two sides would create working
groups, led by Qureia and Livni, to discuss final status
issues: Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, security and water.

TUNIS 00001545 002 OF 002


They will be tough and difficult negotiations, said Abbas,
but both sides will try their best to resolve them before the
end of President Bush's term. The success of the
negotiations depends on those involved. "We need
independence, security and quality of life for our people,"
said Abbas, while Israel needs security. A fair peace and
normalization of relations between Palestinians, Arabs and
Muslims on one hand and Israel on the other is the ultimate
goal, Abbas concluded.

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US AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
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6. (SBU) During his 30 minute presentation, Abbas stressed
that the US Administration and President Bush are serious
about obtaining a fair settlement to the conflict. During
bilateral and trilateral meetings with President Bush on
November 28, Abbas said it was clear that future steps will
be fair. Abbas added that the international support
demonstrated at Annapolis will be important politically and
economically, noting the Paris Donor Conference in December.

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COMMENT
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7. (C) Surprisingly absent from Abbas' two day visit was
apparently a meeting with Farouq Qaddoumi. Without offering
specifics, the Palestinian Ambassador did note Abbas met with
other prominent Palestinians resident in Tunis. If the
absence of a Qaddoumi meeting represented any failure on
Abbas' part to gain wider Palestinian support, the GOT's warm
embrace seems to have left Abbas satisfied the stop was
worthwhile. For Ben Ali, the visit provided an opportunity
to display his pan-Arab influence to the Tunisian public.
End Comment.
GODEC