MFA CONFERENCE PROVIDES PLATFORM FOR LIVNI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 002308 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KNNP IR KPAL IS SUBJECT: MFA CONFERENCE PROVIDES PLATFORM FOR LIVNI REF: TEL AVIV 2252 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Foreign Minister Livni used the MFA's first annual policy and strategy conference as a platform to elucidate her cautious approach to peace negotiations, stressing her views that negotiations must be grounded in political reality, should not be accelerated to accommodate political calendars, and that negotiations with Palestinian pragmatists will continue in parallel with Israeli efforts to combat extremists. Sounding a frequently-heard theme here, Livni called for the international community to apply stronger pressure on Iran in order to avert the need for military action. Other speakers included Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Al Malki, French Foreign Minister Kouchner, and former German Foreign Minister Fischer. Al Malki stressed Palestinian disappointment that "promises" made at Annapolis to achieve a peace agreement by the end of the year had not been achieved and criticized continued building of Israeli settlements as a violation of Roadmap commitments, but he also underscored the PA's determination to continue the negotiations. Kouchner and Fischer both stressed Europe's moral commitment to Israel's survival as a Jewish, democratic state, urged Israel and the PA to complete their negotiations, and condemned Ahmadinejad's anti-Semitic rhetoric. In a subsequent panel discussion, former Mossad Director Efraim Halevy and former policy adviser to Netanyahu Uzi Arad suggested that the multiple crises facing Israel and the world require more effective multilateral efforts, including outside the framework of ineffective existing institutions. Their comments were indicative of the Israeli policy community,s focus on Iran and the possible use of military force. In a hierarchy of international threats and opportunities, those of the Middle East are at the top, they said, and Israel must play a role in the ad hoc coalitions formed to confront those threats. End Summary. MFA Conference a Platform for Livni -------------- - ¶2. (U) MFA Director General Aaron Abramovich convened what was billed as the Ministry's first annual conference for policy and strategy October 5-7. The MFA invited a number of prominent foreign officials to address the October 5 opening session, while the following two days were devoted to in-house panels on a broad range of policy agendas. The purpose of the conference, as described by Senior Deputy Director General Yossi Gal, is to increase the MFA's influence within the GOI's policy formulation process. The conference will produce an MFA paper assessing Israel's foreign and national security policies that will be distributed to the security cabinet and key Knesset members. ¶3. (SBU) Foreign Minister Livni used her address to the conference -- her first public speech since winning the Kadima primaries and being designated by President Peres to form a new government -- as an opportunity to stake out a tougher stance toward negotiations than that offered by PM Olmert in his Rosh Ha-Shana interview with Yediot Aharonot (reftel). Livni directed her comments both to the international community and to the complaints made by PA Foreign Minister Al Malki, all the while playing to an Israeli domestic audience. ¶4. (U) Livni made the following key points: -- Negotiations are in Israel's interest. Those within Israel who criticize the peace process must propose an alternative. Israel is a Jewish, democratic state seeking to live in peace with its neighbors. It is also an integral part of the community of democracies with which it shares values. -- Iran is not just Israel or the Middle East's problem, it is a problem for the entire international community, and it must be handled at the international level. Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has nothing to do with the struggle against Iran. While the world understands the threat posed by Iran, there is not yet sufficient action to deal with that threat. Only by combining the threat of force with political and economic sanctions can the international community compel Iran to change course and thus avert the need to use force in the future. -- We have passed the stage at which Israel should have to prove its desire for peace; it seeks peace and normalization with all the Arab countries. Peace is not just a matter of Israel deciding which concessions to make, it is also a matter of handling the process wisely. -- Peace cannot be a dream, it must be grounded in reality. TEL AVIV 00002308 002 OF 003 Palestinians must accept that violence and terrorism will not achieve their goals. The work begun at Annapolis must continue. Its goal is an end to the conflict based on the principle of two national states for two peoples. A Palestinian state is also Israel's goal provided that its establishment means the end of the conflict and the full realization of Palestinian national aspirations. Israelis, Palestinians, and the international community cannot have an interest in the establishment of a failed state or an extremist state. -- Political calendars and transitions should not stand in the way. The negotiations should not cease but neither should they be brought to a partial or premature conclusion. The rules agreed to at Annapolis remain in effect: nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. -- The Arab world has a key role to play in acting to support Palestinian moderates and delegitimize extremists. The Palestinian Authority's View -------------- ¶5. (U) PA Foreign Minister Riad Al Malki spoke before Livni. In what must have been the first official address by a Palestinian official inside the MFA headquarters at least since the heyday of the Oslo process, Malki said the Palestinians had believed in promises made at Annapolis that they would achieve a peace agreement by the end of 2008. Now it is October, and Palestinians are losing hope. -- Settlement activity is increasing in total violation of the Annapolis conference principles, but at the same time, the PA and GOI have developed excellent relations at the political and security levels. Not enough has been done to implement the first phase of the Roadmap. No party should be allowed to run away from its Roadmap obligations. -- The PA remains committed to negotiations, but the Palestinian public expects results. The Arab world is putting pressure on the PA due to the expansion of settlements and the perception of a lack of results, and Hamas exploits that perception as well. -- Peace is still possible. President Abbas remains committed to the two-state solution. A Palestinian state is the best guarantee of Israel's security. The remaining months of 2008 are important. Palestinians want to assume full security responsibility in the territories under their control, while also implementing economic development projects and enhancing the justice system and rule of law. -- Political uncertainty is high. There are big differences between the U.S. presidential candidates with regard to the peace process. Livni's efforts to form a government will hopefully succeed since this would provide continuity. Hopefully the intra-Palestinian dialogue will succeed and lead to the return of Gaza to PA control. European Friends of Israel -------------- ¶6. (U) French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer emphasized Europe's moral commitment to Israel's survival as a democratic, Jewish state as well as their support for a two-state solution. Kouchner called Israel "a modern miracle," said France stood at Israel's side in its war on terrorism, condemned the "intolerable" words of President Ahmadinejad, and called Iran a danger for the entire international system. France will continue to work with its partners to move to a dialogue with Iran if Iran honors its international commitments. ¶7. (U) Fischer said he would never forget Germany's responsibility for the Holocaust. A more multi-polar world is emerging, and the impact of the international financial crisis will be far-reaching for Russia as well as for the U.S. and Europe. Iran is not a superpower when its economic and social characteristics are considered, but it does seek regional hegemony. Fischer advocated a "realistic approach" to Iran based on an accurate understanding of Iran's internal dynamics. Fischer echoed Kouchner in rejecting Ahmadinejad's anti-Semitic rhetoric. Russia must be included in the development of stronger sanctions on Iran, and therefore the West should reconsider its "post-Georgia priorities." Fischer said Israeli-Syria negotiations could "change the parameters in the region" since Iran would be completely isolated without Syria. Engaging Syria and Iran would also be necessary as the U.S. seeks to end its involvement in Iraq. While expressing understanding of the complicated politics on both sides, Fischer said the effort to achieve a two-state solution must continue. Speaking as a "friend of TEL AVIV 00002308 003 OF 003 Israel," Fischer said he found the idea of the two-state option fading away to be frightening. Israeli Ideas for Confronting Iran -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The opening speeches were followed by a panel discussion in which the Ambassador participated. The theme of the panel discussion was "Challenges to Diplomacy in the 21st Century," and led off with retired Ambassador Oded Eran asking whether diplomacy remains relevant to addressing the world's critical issues. Comments by former Mossad Director Efraim Halevy and former Mossad operative and policy adviser to Bibi Netanyahu Uzi Arad were indicative of the Israeli policy community's focus on the Iranian threat. ¶9. (U) Arad said the world appears to be drifting toward a major international crisis. From an Israeli perspective, the combination of the proliferation of WMD, terrorism, and the challenge to the West by radical Islam has a multiplier effect, especially when combined with high oil prices. Meanwhile, the multilateral architecture established by the U.S. after World War II is failing. Arad pointed to the IAEA's failure to deal with Iran's nuclear program as an example. The prudent course of action requires dropping outmoded concepts such as the inviolability of national sovereignty, getting our priorities right, as well as strong leadership. Arad said the alternative multilateral system is likely to involve an alliance of democracies and/or coalitions of the willing rather than the "severely inadequate" multilateral institutions. ¶10. (U) Halevy also noted that "cajoling and threatening" Iran has thus far had little result. Halevy commented that the current world order may be "on the brink of the abyss," since Kissinger described a nuclearized world as "uncontrollable." In prioritizing the threats and opportunities facing the world, those of the Middle East stand at the top. Halevy said that ad hoc coalitions are needed to fight the gravest threats. Israel is both a major player in the Middle East and a junior partner in the community of democracies. Despite all the talk about a military solution to the Iranian threat, a political solution is still preferable. Israel must be a partner in the international effort to deal with Iran, Halevy said, adding that Israel has assets that ensure it a place at the table. ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. ********************************************* ******************** CUNNINGHAM