MAHMOUD ABBAS ATTENDANCE AT RULING PARTY CONGRESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000910 STATE FOR NEA/IPA AND NEA/MAG (WILLIAMS/NARDI/STEWART) E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV SOCI KPAL IS TS SUBJECT: MAHMOUD ABBAS ATTENDANCE AT RULING PARTY CONGRESS SIGNALS GREATER TUNISIAN-PALESTINIAN COOPERATION REF: A. TUNIS 879 ¶B. TUNIS 859 Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. At a lunch on August 11, Palestinian Ambassador Salman el-Herfi said PA President Mahmoud Abbas had visited Tunis recently primarily to participate in the opening of the RCD party congress. Abbas' participation, el-Herfi said, underscored the strong and growing relations between Fatah and the RCD. Abbas and Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat also briefed President Ben Ali and Foreign Minister Abdallah on the status of negotiations with Israel. El-Herfi asked about the possibility of US funding for Tunisian assistance to the Palestinians in social and economic areas. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On August 11, Ambassador had lunch with Palestinian Ambassador to Tunisia Salman el-Herfi. In a wide ranging discussion, el-Herfi said "we are quite satisfied" with the recent visit of PA President Mahmoud Abbas to Tunisia. The principal reason for Abbas' visit to Tunis was to attend the opening of the RCD party congress on July 29. El-Herfi said Abbas and other Palestinian officials were pleased with the reception President Ben Ali and the RCD gave them, including the opportunity for Abbas to speak to the congress (reftels). ¶3. (C) El-Herfi said the visit also allowed Abbas and Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat to brief Ben Ali and FM Abdallah on the state of negotiations between Israel and the PA. El-Herfi was, as usual, extremely critical of the Israelis, their internal political issues and what he characterized as the minimal progress the Israelis were making in meeting their Roadmap obligations. On a more positive note, he mentioned the impending return of Secretary Rice to the region and the commitment by PM Olmert to continue negotiations until he left office. Nevertheless, el-Herfi was not optimistic about the prospects for a peace deal. ¶4. (C) El-Herfi emphasized the growing connections between the GOT and the PA, and between the RCD and Fatah. On a governmental level, el-Herfi praised the success of the GOT in delivering services to Tunisians, including education, health care and social services. He also noted Tunisia's progress on women's rights. He observed that Tunisia was extraordinarily well "organized", and the GOT had a record of economic and social accomplishment that is unparalleled in the region. He added that this was one of the reasons Tunisia had been able to handle the threat of religious extremism. Part of the success, he suggested, was the result of the remarkable organization of the RCD itself. Where else in the Middle East or North Africa, he asked, could the Palestinians turn for good advice and technical help? He expressly dismissed Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia as possible sources of training and assistance on matters such as economic growth and women's rights. ¶5. (C) As a result, el-Herfi said, the PA is increasingly seeking advice and assistance from the Tunisians, particularly in social and economic areas. When the Ambassador asked for specific examples of the assistance, el-Herfi mentioned health care and engagement with youth. He lamented, however, the lack of funding for exchanges, although he suggested the European Union had provided some help. He asked whether the United States would be willing to provide funding for exchanges between Tunisia and the Palestinians. The area of health care, he said, would be a good place to start. He noted, for example, that the United States might fund a visit to the West Bank by Tunisian cardiac specialists. Ambassador responded that he would ask Washington about the possibility. ¶6. (C) El-Herfi noted that the GOT and the PA are preparing for their bilateral commission meeting in November. ¶7. (C) Comment and request. We do not know the true extent of exchanges between the Tunisians and the Palestinians. It is possible this is mostly wishful thinking on el-Herfi's part, although Abbas has been a frequent visitor in recent months. Moreover, the GOT is quite successful, particularly by regional standards, in delivering health care, education and infrastructure. In these areas, the Palestinians could do worse than looking to the Tunisians. In the area of political governance, however, we have serious reservations. For the GOT, of course, the frequent Abbas visits and any aid to the PA offer an opportunity for Ben Ali to burnish his credentials as a supporter of the Palestinians. If the Department has an interest in encouraging or financially supporting economic and social assistance from Tunisia to the Palestinians, please advise. End comment and request. Please visit Embassy Tunis' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/tunis/index.c fm GODEC