Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08RIYADH1121
2008-07-20 09:04:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
SAUDIS ON SUDAN'S BASHIR - DON'T PUSH TOO HARD
how-toVZCZCXRO1759 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV DE RUEHRH #1121 2020904 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 200904Z JUL 08 ZDK CORRECTED COPY FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8828 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM IMMEDIATE 0020 RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH IMMEDIATE 9634 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T RIYADH 001121
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (NOFORN CAPTION ADDED)
SIPDIS
NOFORN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2018
TAGS: KCRM PGOV PHUM PREL PTER SA SU UNC UNCRIME
SUBJECT: SAUDIS ON SUDAN'S BASHIR - DON'T PUSH TOO HARD
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires Michael Gfoeller for
reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
S E C R E T RIYADH 001121
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (NOFORN CAPTION ADDED)
SIPDIS
NOFORN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2018
TAGS: KCRM PGOV PHUM PREL PTER SA SU UNC UNCRIME
SUBJECT: SAUDIS ON SUDAN'S BASHIR - DON'T PUSH TOO HARD
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires Michael Gfoeller for
reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
1. (S/NF) SUMMARY. The Ambassador met on July 15 with the
Saudi-American Friendship Committee at the Majlis Al-Shoura,
chaired by Chief Bandar Mohamed Al-Aiban. Al-Aiban discussed
his committee's recent trip to the United States as a
"complete success and a turning point" in USG relations with
the Majlis Al-Shoura. The members prodded the Ambassador on
the recent ICC decision to indict Sudanese President Bashir
on charges of genocide, claiming that we, meaning both the
SAG and USG, need "room to maneuver, we can not push Bashir
too far away." END SUMMARY.
The Lessons of Syria and Iran
--------------
2. (S/NF) The Friendship Committee, after relating on the
success of their recent US trip, discussed the recent
announcement of the International Criminal Court (ICC)
indicting Sudanese President Umar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir on
genocide charges. Some members expressed uncertainty that
the USG had a role in the decision, while others were
confident that the USG was indeed the instigator (note: we
informed these Saudis that the USG is not a signatory to the
ICC - to which they were unaware). Al-Aiban, the Committee
Chair, explained that pushing the Sudanese away by indicting
and arresting Bashir would make it more difficult to work
together to solve any issues. Al-Aiban remarked that the SAG
had been pushing the Syrian government away for decades, and
as Syria is closer today to Iran than it is to its "Arab
neighbors," clearly that policy "did not produce results."
He also asserted that this analogy is applicable to current
USG actions over Iran's nuclear ambitions - that of pushing
an enemy too far away can only futher antagonize the
situation.
3. (S/NF) COMMENT. The Committee never acknowledged or
commented on the validity of the charges against Bashir, or
on any fact relating to the situation in Darfur. Rather, the
comments expressed were procedural in nature, relating only
to perceived, if erroneous, USG policy. The Committee
advised that the USG should not continue down "this path,"
even though it seemed evident that in these Saudis' minds the
USG had played a role in the ICC indictment. END COMMENT
GFOELLER
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (NOFORN CAPTION ADDED)
SIPDIS
NOFORN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2018
TAGS: KCRM PGOV PHUM PREL PTER SA SU UNC UNCRIME
SUBJECT: SAUDIS ON SUDAN'S BASHIR - DON'T PUSH TOO HARD
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires Michael Gfoeller for
reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
1. (S/NF) SUMMARY. The Ambassador met on July 15 with the
Saudi-American Friendship Committee at the Majlis Al-Shoura,
chaired by Chief Bandar Mohamed Al-Aiban. Al-Aiban discussed
his committee's recent trip to the United States as a
"complete success and a turning point" in USG relations with
the Majlis Al-Shoura. The members prodded the Ambassador on
the recent ICC decision to indict Sudanese President Bashir
on charges of genocide, claiming that we, meaning both the
SAG and USG, need "room to maneuver, we can not push Bashir
too far away." END SUMMARY.
The Lessons of Syria and Iran
--------------
2. (S/NF) The Friendship Committee, after relating on the
success of their recent US trip, discussed the recent
announcement of the International Criminal Court (ICC)
indicting Sudanese President Umar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir on
genocide charges. Some members expressed uncertainty that
the USG had a role in the decision, while others were
confident that the USG was indeed the instigator (note: we
informed these Saudis that the USG is not a signatory to the
ICC - to which they were unaware). Al-Aiban, the Committee
Chair, explained that pushing the Sudanese away by indicting
and arresting Bashir would make it more difficult to work
together to solve any issues. Al-Aiban remarked that the SAG
had been pushing the Syrian government away for decades, and
as Syria is closer today to Iran than it is to its "Arab
neighbors," clearly that policy "did not produce results."
He also asserted that this analogy is applicable to current
USG actions over Iran's nuclear ambitions - that of pushing
an enemy too far away can only futher antagonize the
situation.
3. (S/NF) COMMENT. The Committee never acknowledged or
commented on the validity of the charges against Bashir, or
on any fact relating to the situation in Darfur. Rather, the
comments expressed were procedural in nature, relating only
to perceived, if erroneous, USG policy. The Committee
advised that the USG should not continue down "this path,"
even though it seemed evident that in these Saudis' minds the
USG had played a role in the ICC indictment. END COMMENT
GFOELLER