SAUDI FM ON NUCLEAR COOPERATION, LEBANON,

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000268

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR ISN PDAS MCNERNEY, BURRUS CARNAHAN IN
ISN/NESS, ARIEL STUKALIN IN ISN/RA, AND ANDREW STEINFELD IN
NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2028
TAGS: PARM PREL KNNP KPAL SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI FM ON NUCLEAR COOPERATION, LEBANON,
PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI CONFLICT, AND IRAQ

REF: A. STATE 65500 B. BEIRUT 00883 C. RIYADH 775

Classified By: Ambassador Ford Fraker for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (S) SUMMARY: In the Ambassador's June 23 meeting with
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, they discussed:
nuclear cooperation (reftels A and C),the Saudi pledge for
the Nahr al Barid conference (reftel B),implementing the
Annapolis Agreement, and debt forgiveness for Iraq. The
Ambassador urged the Foreign Minister to bring into force the
Saudi Safeguards Agreement, which the Foreign Minister said
he would work to accomplish. The Ambassador also proposed a
bilateral working-level meeting on nuclear cooperation in
Washington, D.C. in August. The Foreign Minister replied
that the Saudi delegation may include officials from the King
Abd al-Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and from
the Saudi Council of Ministers legal department. The
Ambassador emphasized that these steps are critical to
concluding a formal nuclear cooperation agreement and the
Foreign Minister agreed on the need for an "action plan."
Regarding Lebanon, the Foreign Minister and Saudi Ambassador
to Lebanon Dr. Abdulaziz Khoja, who joined the meeting,
stated that the SAG's initial $25 million contribution to the
Nahr al Barid reconstruction conference donation should be
seen as the first in a series of potential donations for
rebuilding the camp. Concerning the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict, the Foreign Minister said that only "people on the
ground" can implement the Annapolis Agreement and shared that
he recently asked British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to
raise this during his upcoming visit to the U.S. On Iraq, he
said the Saudi government (SAG) did not expect the Iraqi
government (GOI) to repay its debt and stated that all
countries needed to assist the GOI to end its "internal
disputes." END SUMMARY.

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NUCLEAR COOPERATION
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2. (S) In the Ambassador's June 23 meeting with the Foreign
Minister, he raised next steps for nuclear cooperation with
the SAG (reftel A). Concerning signing the Kingdom's
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards
Agreement, the Foreign Minister accepted the sample accession
letter the Ambassador provided, recalled having received a
previous copy, and stated that he would pass it to Foreign
Ministry official Turki bin Muhammad to discuss entering it
into force. He added That Turki bin Muhamad may need to meet
with the Council of Ministers legal department on this issue.
He said that he understood that this step is necessary to
pursue a permanent nuclear cooperation agreement. The
Ambassador also discussed the possibility of a bilateral
working-level meeting on nuclear cooperation in Washington,
D.C. in August. The Foreign Minister stated that the Saudi
delegation may include officials from KACST as well as from
the Council of Foreign Ministers legal department and
expected that such a gathering would produce a U.S.-Saudi
"action plan."

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LEBANON
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3. (S) Concerning Saudi support to Lebanon, the Foreign
Minister said that it was receiving a "multitude of support"
and that the future depended on elections. The Ambassador
urged him to support the June 23 Nahr al Barid reconstruction
conference and the Foreign Minister stated that the SAG could
only commit $25 million at the moment. The Ambassador then
suggested that a "commitment in principle" be made for a
larger amount and that the $25 million could then be seen as
the first tranche in a series of fundings. The Foreign
Minister as well as Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Khoja, who
later joined the meeting, agreed that that would improve the
conference's outcome and they would be willing to consider
this if it was agreed by the conference members. The Foreign
Minister also shared his June 22 conversation with Lebanese
Prime Minister Siniora in which Siniora expressed his
disappointment with the conference. The Foreign Minister
said he told him "Don't be so tense," and suggested he place
less emphasis on the conference. Ambassador Khoja reiterated
at the end of the meeting that the $25 million should be seen
as the first in a series of commitments.


JEDDAH 00000268 002 OF 002


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PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI CONFLICT
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4. (S) Switching to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the
Foreign Minister said: "We hoped there would be someone on
the ground in Israel who worked daily to get the process of
Annapolis on the road." He added that "Having people come
and go is not the same as having them on the ground." He
further stated: "The Americans have to bring around the
Israelis and the Arabs have to bring around the
Palestinians." When the Ambassador asked him if he had
expressed his concerns to the Secretary, the Prince shared a
recent conversation with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
in which he urged him to focus on this issue during his
upcoming visit to the United States.

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IRAQ
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5. (S) In reference to Iraq, the Ambassador highlighted the
current discussions about humanitarian aid and raised the
need for debt forgiveness, a topic that he had discussed
previously with Saudi Minister of Finance Dr. Ibrahim
al-Assaf. The Foreign Minister replied that debt forgiveness
is not an issue and that no one in the SAG is expecting the
GOI to payback their debt. The Ambassador said he hoped that
an announcement could be made soon on this as it would send a
very positive political signal. The Foreign Minister added
that, "The important aspect is for all of us to be working
for Iraq to finish its internal disputes." Referencing one
of Iraq's senior Shia clerics, Grand Ayatollah Ali
al-Sistani, and his supporters in the Iraqi southern province
of Najaf, he stated: "It can only happen if you get to the
"Marjayyiat"; without the "Marjayyiat" you can't do anything."
TONEY