Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08JEDDAH182
2008-04-29 16:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jeddah
Cable title:  

S/E CUMBER DISCUSSES WITH OIC DRAFT MOU;

Tags:  PGOV PREL SCUL KISL KWMN SA 
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RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHJI #0182/01 1201606
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 291606Z APR 08
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0681
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0005
RUCNDTA/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0049
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 JEDDAH 000182 

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RIYADH PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR IO, NEA/ARP,
HERRO MUSTAFA IN P

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL SCUL KISL KWMN SA
SUBJECT: S/E CUMBER DISCUSSES WITH OIC DRAFT MOU;
COOPERATION IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND EDUCATION

Classified By: Acting Consul General CB Toney for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d
)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 JEDDAH 000182

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RIYADH PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR IO, NEA/ARP,
HERRO MUSTAFA IN P

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL SCUL KISL KWMN SA
SUBJECT: S/E CUMBER DISCUSSES WITH OIC DRAFT MOU;
COOPERATION IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND EDUCATION

Classified By: Acting Consul General CB Toney for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d
)


1. (C) SUMMARY: In April 24 meetings with Organization of the
Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary General Ekmeleddin
Ihsanoglu and other high-level OIC officials, U.S. Envoy to
the OIC Sada Cumber discussed the draft U.S.-OIC Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) as well as specific programs on which
to collaborate. They agreed to cooperate in two of three
areas outlined in the MOU -- science, technology, and
education -- but delayed addressing enhancing the status of
women. OIC officials said it would be better to focus on
that issue after building OIC member state confidence in the
U.S.-OIC relationship. Consistent with Senegalese President
Abdoulaye Wade's remarks (Septel Dakar),they expressed a
desire for a fast, tangible example of success.


2. (C) In Special Envoy (S/E) Cumber's meeting with the
Secretary General, Ihsanoglu reiterated his support for Mr.

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Cumber's appointment, praised the "unprecedented" U.S.-OIC
relationship, and expressed desire to work on "technical,"
rather than "political," issues. In a subsequent, larger
meeting, Mr. Cumber and OIC officials agreed to collaborate
on the following projects and issues: a digital library
project in the 10 poorest OIC member states, an innovation in
the Muslim world mapping project, short-term vocational
training for Muslim youth; and more generally, food security,
energy security, disease eradication, and infant mortality
rate reduction. They also agreed to facilitate more
interfaith dialogue as well as to initiate an informal
U.S.-OIC "exchange of views," or consulting, at the United
Nations. END SUMMARY

IHSANOGLU DEEMS NEW U.S.-OIC RELATIONSHIP "UNPRECEDENTED"


3. (C) In U.S. Envoy to the OIC Sada Cumber's April 24
meeting with the OIC Secretary General, Ihsanoglu reiterated
his support for Mr. Cumber stating: "No wonder this was the

selection of the President." He also said he was pleased
with how Mr. Cumber was developing his strategy toward
strengthening U.S.-OIC relations. Elaborating on the new
position of Envoy and the draft MOU, he added: "This is
unprecedented, a new modus operandi," continuing, "I hope in
six months you can build something tangible." (COMMENT: OIC
Director General for Political Affairs Mahdy Fathallah
expressed privately to Mr. Cumber the need for the MOU to
produce quickly a concrete accomplishment to build confidence
among OIC member states toward the U.S. END COMMENT.)

OIC CALLS FOR "TECHNICAL," RATHER THAN "POLITICAL" COOPERATION


4. (C) Regarding areas of cooperation, Ihsanoglu said that it
was a "successful" decision to focus on "technical" rather
than "political" matters. He also reiterated his support for
the "Annapolis process" while adding that there will always
be issues on which the U.S. and OIC disagree. Mr. Cumber
provided Ihsanoglu with a copy of the draft U.S.-OIC MOU and
Ihsanoglu said he would "study" it. Mr. Cumber also extended
to Ihsanoglu an invitation to Washington to meet with the
President, Secretary Rice, and other high-level officials, to
which he replied: "That would be very nice."

KEY AREAS OF COLLABORATION: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND EDUCATION


5. (C) In a follow-on meeting with Ihsanoglu and OIC
Political Affairs and Science and Technology Departments, S/E
Cumber and OIC officials agreed to cooperate on science,
technology, and education. On the enhancement of the status
of women, several OIC officials said that it was too soon to
focus on that issue. They recommended collaborating on the
least contentious issues so as to produce quick tangible
results and to build confidence among OIC member states
toward the new U.S.-OIC relationship. After such a time,
focusing on the issue of women would be more feasible, they
argued.


6. (C) Concerning specific issues within science and
technology, OIC officials highlighted the "Atlas of the World
Innovation," which aims to map the Muslim world's innovation
capability. OIC officials shared with Mr. Cumber brochures
on the project and stated that they hoped to complete it no
later than 2012. They also suggested that Mr. Cumber help
facilitate a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services on disease eradication and infant
mortality rate reduction, and provided him a copy of an
Islamic Summit resolution calling for such cooperation.

JEDDAH 00000182 002 OF 003


Finally, they also expressed interest in working on "food
security" (food processing) and "energy security"
(alternative energy sources for desertification alleviation).


7. (C) On education, Mr. Cumber shared his plans to establish
a digital library in the 10 poorest OIC member states. OIC
officials stated it was a "good" idea, and Ihsanoglu
requested more information on the content of such libraries.
S/E Cumber also discussed his desire to invite a group of OIC
officials to the U.S. to travel to Washington, D.C. to meet
U.S. Executive Branch officials, and then throughout the U.S.
to meet the American Muslim community. OIC officials also
supported that idea, adding that they were interested in
opportunities to observe the upcoming U.S. Presidential
elections as well as to receive training to monitor elections
in Muslim countries. Last, OIC officials said that they
would like to create 2-3 week vocational training
opportunities for Muslim youth as it would aid in addressing
the "immediate need" of employment and in reducing Muslim
youth engagement with extremists.

IHSANOGLU RAISES ISLAMOPHOBIA, AGREES TO MORE INTERFAITH
DIALOGUE


8. (C) Expanding on potential areas for U.S.-OIC cooperation,
Ihsanoglu raised the issue of "creating a better
understanding between the two side," citing the September
2007 program at Georgetown University in which he spoke about
Islamophobia. After Mr. Cumber mentioned to Ihsanoglu his
visit with Senegalese President Wade, he said: "Was there
anything tangible out of it? I need to know, he is my boss."
S/E Cumber informed him of Wade's call for interfaith
dialogue and said that the U.S. also wishes to address
improving how different faiths view one another. However,
Mr. Cumber emphasized that "Freedom of speech is at the core
of America" and that the U.S. will not support "any
restrictions on it." Ihsanoglu replied, stating: "Freedom of
speech is not an absolute freedom; it goes hand-in-hand with
responsibility."

OIC DESIRES INCREASED COORDINATION WITH U.S. AT THE UN


9. (C) S/E Cumber and Secretary General Ihsanoglu agreed on
the need to facilitate an "exchange of views," or consulting,
between the U.S. and the OIC so they are aware of one
another's positions, in particular at the United Nations,
regardless of whether they agree. The OIC officials present
all agreed that this would be extremely useful. For example,
OIC Advisor to the Secretary General Ufuk Gokcen stated that
while they know the U.S. opposes the OIC's proposed
Convention on Religious Defamation, they do not know why.
Better coordination, he stated, would clear-up such
misunderstandings. He then asked Mr. Cumber whether the U.S.
-- "like the Europeans" -- could provide an issue paper
explaining U.S. opposition to it.


10. (C) In response to Ihsanoglu's request that the U.S.
facilitate visa issuance for OIC officials traveling to the
UN General Assembly this Fall, Mr. Cumber shared with him
from his conversation with the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) that DHS would treat fairly those OIC
officials entering the U.S. (NOTE: Ihsanoglu also raised
this issue during Mr. Cumber's March 4-5 Visit. END NOTE.)

OIC OFFICIALS IN ATTENDANCE


11. (C) In addition to Secretary General Ekmeleddin
Ihsanoglu, OIC attendees included: Advisor to the Secretary
General Ufuk Gokcen, Advisor to the Secretary General Ahmed
Lajimi, Assistant Secretary General for Science and
Technology Dr. Ali A. Salehi, Director General for the
Department of Science and Technology Dr. Razley bin Mohd,
Director General of Political Affairs Mahdy Fathallah, and
Director in Political Affairs Tariq Ali Bakheet.

COMMENT


12. (C) OIC reaction to S/E Cumber and plans to strengthen
U.S.-OIC relations were markedly warmer than during his March
visit. In sidebar conversations, OIC officials shared
privately that Mr. Cumber's travel to the region and draft
MOU have instilled a sense of guarded optimism toward
strengthening U.S.-OIC relations. (Furthermore, Ihsanoglu in
his second and final term as Secretary General now feels he
has the mandate to push implementation of the OIC Ten-Year
Program of Action, also a basis for the MOU.) However,

JEDDAH 00000182 003 OF 003


sustaining this momentum will require that the OIC
Secretariat - at times dysfunctional - pull together and

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follow through on their commitment to produce a deliverable
at the earliest opportunity. END COMMENT.


13. (U) This cable was cleared by Special Envoy Sada Cumber.
TONEY