SAUDI KING TO ATTEND UNGA INTERFAITH DIALOGUE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 001574 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2018 TAGS: PREL SA SUBJECT: SAUDI KING TO ATTEND UNGA INTERFAITH DIALOGUE SESSION REF: A. VATICAN 77 ¶B. USUN NEW YORK 860 ¶C. RIYADH 1270 ¶D. RIYADH 1170 ¶E. MADRID 799 Classified By: AMBASSADOR FORD FRAKER, REASONS 1.4, (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) KING ABDALLAH TO NEW YORK: During an October 18 meeting, FM Saud Al-Faisal confirmed to Ambassador Fraker that King Abdallah would address the UNGA meeting requested by the Saudis to discuss their interfaith dialogue initiative. The King will travel to New York accompanied by a very large Saudi delegation to include numerous advisors such as his half-brother Prince AbdalIlah in addition to the FM. (Comment: we expect that the King will likely fly to New York from Morocco o/a November 11. He is planning to travel there for several days' of vacation at the beginning of November, after the Crown Prince returns to from medical leave in Geneva. End comment.) ¶2. (U) SAUD AL-FAISAL LETTER TO PGA: As reported in ref B, in mid-September Prince Saud conveyed the Saudi request for a High-Level Session. Specifically, Saud asked that it be convened under the 63rd UNGA agenda item 48, "Culture of Peace," "to inform the General Assembly of the process initiated in Madrid and to provide the World Conference on Dialogue with the necessary support from the international community in order for it to be successful and productive. Such a high-level meeting would further the purposes of the United Nations in respect of dialogue between cultures and religions." After intensive negotiations with, among others, the Holy See (ref A),the UNGA President agreed and announced that a plenary (rather than High Level) meeting would be held on 12-13 November, urging all member states to participate "at the highest possible level." ¶3. (C) WHY A UN SESSION? FM Saud explained that following up on the Madrid Interfaith Conference (refs d & e) was among the King's highest priorities. The Saudis believed that the UN was key to institutionalizing the dialogue, hence their request for a High Level Session. The hope was that high level attendees would agree to the establishment of a committee to oversee and galvanize international support for continued discussions and action. The King was planning to announce a substantial contribution to fund this effort, which the Saudis hope will spur other donations. Additionally, the Saudis would soon circulate the draft text of what he characterized would be a "Presidential Statement" issued at the conclusion of the debate. (Comment: he avoided the term "outcome document" which is likely intentional in view of the objections raised by the Vatican and others about the Madrid Conference outcome document. See ref E. End comment.) ¶4. (C) A BIG, AND POSSIBLY RISKY INVESTMENT: The Saudi initiative has provoked much skepticism and bemusement internationally. The self-styled "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" who rules a feudal desert Kingdom forbidding the practice of religions other than Islam is seen as an unlikely champion of tolerance. However, it has become clear that he has expended much political capital as well as energy to win domestic acceptance for the initiative (ref C). It appears that the Interfaith Dialogue is a key part of the King's strategy to strengthen his hand against reactionary internal opponents of his plans for reform whose virulent intolerance have helped fuel Islamist terrorism worldwide. Abdallah apparently believes that a UN imprimatur would further strengthen his credibility at home with skeptics within the royal family. He seeks international acknowledgment of his position as the world's senior Muslim leader, a status that would provide both the authority and the imperative to promote a more tolerant brand of Islam. ¶5. (S/NF) SENIOR LEADERSHIP SECURITY CONCERNS: Several senior royals have confided worries that the King's trip to New York entails considerable risk, both physically and politically. They worry that if he does not win the UN backing he seeks, he could find himself politically exposed and vulnerable to a violent internal backlash. RIYADH 00001574 002 OF 002 ¶6. (C) AN OPPORTUNITY: Embassy believes that the King's initiative provides an opportunity for increased engagement that could profitably serve US interests in combating terrorist ideologies and in promoting human rights and religious freedom. Saudi calls for interfaith dialogue will need to be met by concrete proposals and progress at home. Although the Madrid Conference outcome document contained some problematic specifics, we think that these could be addressed through high-level engagement such as A/S Brian Hook's upcoming visit, and via intensive contacts in New York. We recommend high-level attendance at the UNGA session to provide the encouragement the Saudis seek. FRAKER