DESPITE PROXIMITY TO KEY REGIONAL PLAYERS, SAG

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 000174 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL SA KE SUBJECT: DESPITE PROXIMITY TO KEY REGIONAL PLAYERS, SAG ODDLY UNINTERESTED IN KENYAN POLITICAL CRISIS REF: RIYADH 153 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael Gfoeller for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh confirmed to PolOff during a February 5 meeting that the SAG and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) have not yet engaged with Kenya since the political crisis that engulfed the country following their contested December 27 presidential elections. Neither the SAG nor the OIC offered any assistance to alleviate the humanitarian crisis resulting from the violent tribal clashes that erupted immediately after the elections. According to the Kenyan Political Counselor, both the SAG and the OIC normally provide financial assistance to the large Muslim communities in Kenya, and so it is "a bit strange" that they have not given aid to these communities that have seen intense fighting and displacement over the past month. He added that the GOK is hopeful that the SAG and the OIC will donate after the official SOS Appeal is issued by the government. ¶2. (C) Speaking about political instability in Africa and concerned about the safety of Saudi Arabian diplomatic personnel abroad, Dr. Prince Turki bin Mohammed Al Kabeer, Undersecretary for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, suggested to the CDA during a February 4 meeting that "we cannot afford to put our staff at risk." He noted that he wonders if Kenya will "end up like this," referring to the instability that has plagued parts of the Sudan and Chad (reftel). The African Affairs department at the MFA did not have any comment on the Kenyan situation. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: The SAG does not have a mediation role to play in Kenya because it is not a member of the OIC or the Arab League. However, the SAG should be more interested than it appears to be in Kenya's stability given that Kenya shares borders with the Sudan and Somalia. These two countries are members of both the OIC and the Arab League and are also recipients of Saudi Arabia's peace mediation role in the region. If the Kenyan political crisis is completely ignored by the SAG and it continues unabated, Saudi efforts to stabilize its neighbors could be undermined. END COMMENT. GFOELLER