ARAB INTERIOR MINISTERS DISCUSS CT COOPERATION

UNCLAS TUNIS 000180

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG - HOPKINS, HARRIS AND NEA/ARN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PGOV IZ SY SU TS
SUBJECT: ARAB INTERIOR MINISTERS DISCUSS CT COOPERATION

REF: TUNIS 154 AND PREVIOUS (NOTAL)


1. (U) SUMMARY: The January 30-31 Arab League Interior
Ministers meeting in Tunis was focused on counter-terrorism
cooperation. Voicing support for Lebanon and Iraq, the
Council of Arab Interior Ministers also discussed narcotics
trafficking, civil protection and road safety. President Ben
Ali's opening remarks, delivered by the Tunisian Minister of
Interior, did not refer to recent security incidents in
Tunisia (reftels) although he did suggest political asylum is
exploited by terrorists. The local press also carried
interviews with Sudanese and Syrian Interior Ministers. END
SUMMARY.


2. (U) On January 30 and 31, 16 of the 22 Arab League
countries sent delegates to the 24th annual Council of Arab
Interior Ministers meeting in Tunis. Discussions focused on
counter-terrorism cooperation, including combating
transnational organized crime, terrorist financing and money
laundering, and preventing terrorist organizations from
obtaining chemical weapons. However, the final declaration
contained no specific recommendations. The group called on
member states to support police in Lebanon and Iraq and
expressed its continued support for the Naif Arab Academy for
Security Sciences. According to press reports, the following
countries did not participate: Bahrain, the Comoros Islands,
Djibouti, Lebanon, Palestine (due to travel restrictions
imposed by Israel),and the United Arab Emirates. Somali
Vice Prime Minister for Security Hussein Aideed attended,
along with Arab Maghreb Union Secretary General Habib Ben
Yahia, and UN Deputy Secretary General for Safety and
Security David Veness.


3. (SBU) Tunisian Minister of Interior Rafik Belhaj Kacem
delivered opening remarks attributed to Tunisian President
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The speech did not mention recent
domestic security events (reftels). Rather, Ben Ali
obliquely criticized Western nations, saying international
counter-terrorism cooperation should include "revising the
provisions pertaining to the granting of political asylum."
Ben Ali also called for a United Nations conference to adopt
"an international anti-terrorism code of conduct."


4. (U) On the margins of the meeting, several Arab ministers
gave interviews to the Tunisian press. On January 31,
privately owned Arabic daily as-Sabah published an interview
with Syrian Minister of Interior General Bassam Abdul Majid
in which he stated that he had signed a memorandum of
understanding related to counter-terrorism with his Iraqi
counterpart Jawad al-Bulani. Abdul Majid said Syria is
committed to "exerting all efforts" to achieve security and
stability in Iraq, voicing support for the National Interest
process, protecting the unity or Iraq and "solving" the
militias. Abdul Majid said that Iraqi President Talabani's
visit to Damascus had renewed cooperation between the two
countries. The Syrian Minister added that Syria has always
supported the unity of Iraq's land and people, and its
freedom and independence, and that he had confirmed to
al-Bulani Syria's condemnation of all forms of terrorism that
touch Iraqi citizens, establishments and infrastructure.
Abdul Majid said cooperation did not require a written
agreement. Rather, the memorandum of understanding, good
intentions and joint work is the basis for cooperation,
particularly as Syria ordered the closing of its borders to
combat all those who try to infiltrate its borders toward
Iraq for "hidden terrorist intentions."


5. (U) Sudanese Minister of Interior Zubeir Bashir Taha told
local Arabic dailies as-Sabah and ash-Shourouq that Sudan
"rejects the intervention of international forces and we have
not changed our position." Regarding the African Union's
refusal to elect Sudan president of the union in 2007, Taha
said, "In January 2006 we hosted the AU Summit...and leaders
agreed to support Sudan's presidency in 2007...but they
didn't respect this agreement...which doesn't surprise us."
On Darfur, Taha said, "The goal of colonialists is hegemony
over the region and finding justifications to control the
Darfur region since vast natural resources, including oil and
gas, were discovered there." The Darfur problem, said Taha,
can only be solved two ways: 1) Preventing the entrance of
foreign weapons and munitions and 2) Strengthening economic
resources, including water, so residents can benefit from
this wealth.
GODEC