SAUDI KING ON MADRID INTER-FAITH CONFERENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 001035

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2013
TAGS: ASEC CIA EU EUN KISL PGOV PHUM PREL PTER SA
UNFPA, UNGA
SUBJECT: SAUDI KING ON MADRID INTER-FAITH CONFERENCE

REF: USUN 555

Classified By: Ambassador Ford Fraker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a June 29 meeting with Senator John Kerry
(D-MA) in Jeddah, Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
elaborated on furthering global religious tolerance and
combating extremism through the Inter-Faith Dialogue he
launched, where the next step will be a multi-faith
conference, including Christian, Jewish and Muslim
representatives, scheduled for July 16 in Madrid. The King's
comments reflected a new position for the SAG in its handling
of other religions and demonstrating a willingness to accept
other religions as faiths that are equal to Islam. END
SUMMARY.

THREE GREAT COMMON RELIGIONS
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2. (C) In his meeting with Sen. Kerry, accompanied by the
Ambassador and DCM, a healthy-looking King Abdullah gave an
animated and energetic overview of the upcoming multi-faith
conference scheduled for July 16 in Madrid. The King
explained this is part of the Inter-Faith Dialogue he
launched earlier in 2008. There had been an Islamic
conference in Mecca earlier in June, where Islamic clerics of
various sects were represented. The purpose was to achieve a
unity of faith to do away with animosities that stemmed from
the different interpretations of Islam. Abdullah expressed
satisfaction that this Islamic conference had been a success.



3. (C) The next step for the Inter-Faith Dialogue would be a
multi-faith conference to include the "three great"
monotheistic religions - Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
Abdullah stated he had previously discussed this type of
conference with Pope Benedict and former British Prime
Minister Tony Blair. He added his scheduled 30 minute Papal
meeting stretched into 90 as they discussed the idea of the
Inter-faith Dialogue. Spain was chosen as the location for
the upcoming multi-faith conference because Spain had
previously been home to Jews, Christians and Muslims where
they had all lived in peace, so what better symbolic location
than the Iberian peninsula to host such a gathering.
Abdullah added he had consulted with Spanish King Juan Carlos
who had been enthusiastic about having this conference in
Madrid.


4. (C) Abdullah continued that the Torah, Koran and the
Gospel all preach the same message from the same God. All
were suitable for teaching moral values and to stop what
Abdullah described as "the breakdown of the family."
Throughout this discussion, Abdullah was visibly excited
about this upcoming multi-faith conference in Madrid and was
eagerly awaiting participating in it.

WAY TO BEAT EXTREMISM
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5. (C) COMMENT. The upcoming multi-faith Madrid conference
sponsored by Saudi Arabia is extremely significant. Saudi
Arabia has long been known for its religious intolerance and
xenophobic attitude towards outsiders. It is remarkable that
King Abdullah, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is now
equating Judaism and Christianity with Islam.


6. (C) Abdullah believes Islam has been hijacked by violent,
radical extremists, who have threatned Saudi Arabia itself.
A reconciliation movement such as King Abdullah's Inter-Faith
Dialogue is a viable venue to counter this extremism. That
Saudi Arabia is the sponsor of this Dialogue, and is actually
getting traction from other Muslims, including the Saudi

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religious establishment, is even more telling. This
Inter-Faith Dialogue could be a method to counter the threat
of extremist terrorist ideology and help eliminate future
generations of turning to religious violence. END COMMENT.
FRAKER