Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRUSSELS1228
2009-09-10 11:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:
EMBASSY BRUSSELS FOLLOW UP ON CAIRO SPEECH
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001228
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE PASS EUR/WE AND S/P NASH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON OEXC OSCI PREL SCUL SENV SOCI TNGD
TSPL, KISL, BE
SUBJECT: EMBASSY BRUSSELS FOLLOW UP ON CAIRO SPEECH
REF: BRUSSELS 853
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001228
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE PASS EUR/WE AND S/P NASH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON OEXC OSCI PREL SCUL SENV SOCI TNGD
TSPL, KISL, BE
SUBJECT: EMBASSY BRUSSELS FOLLOW UP ON CAIRO SPEECH
REF: BRUSSELS 853
1. (SBU) Summary: Post is actively engaged with Belgium's
Muslim communities. Charge Bush used the occasion of the
President's Cairo speech to host a special outreach luncheon
on June 10 with key Muslim contacts (please see reftel).
Muslims in Belgium took great interest in the President's
speech, and were indeed hopeful that the United States would
take action on several themes he mentioned. Post is already
planning a robust outreach plan for FY 2009, and is engaged
with stakeholders in Muslim communities and with local and
federal government leaders. End Summary.
Charge's Muslim Outreach Luncheon
--------------
2. (SBU) The Charge's June 10 luncheon, held after the
President's Cairo speech, included Muslim stakeholders from
business, academia, government, and media. A strong
over-arching theme in the guests' comments (reftel) was the
need to improve integration of Muslims in Belgium, and
counter the sense of alienation many of them feel. Above all
else, Muslims in Belgium want to be accepted as Belgians, as
part of the community, with the education and employment
opportunities available to other Belgians. They also want to
preserve their religious identity - encouraging respect for
diversity is important to them.
3. (SBU) The areas of engagement from the speech that
received the most interest were human and economic
development. One guest noted that many in the Muslim world
have noted that the U.S. is often close to undemocratic
regimes. As Belgian-Muslims, the guests argued strongly for
the need to promote democracy and human rights in the Muslim
world. One guest stressed that education for women was the
best path to their empowerment, rather than debating the
wearing of the head scarf. She noted that men in
non-Muslim-majority countries are more focused on the head
scarf than women, and that the head scarf was a religious
rather than a women's issue. The guests urged the U.S. to
continue to promote trade and economic development in the
Muslim world. Weaker economies and lack of opportunity are
the main reasons Europe's Muslims chose to emigrate, they
said. Reftel also underscores the strong concern the guests
had about U.S. handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Post's Muslim Engagement Plans
--------------
4. (SBU) This fall, the public diplomacy (PD) section will
organize the Mission's fifth annual Iftar, to be hosted by
the Ambassador on September 14. PD has also scheduled an
American Muslim stand-up comedian to engage with young
minority (mainly Muslim) audiences as part of the Citizen
Dialogue program. During this same time-frame, PD is sending
a Belgian police commissioner to the Annual International
Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Conference in Denver,
Colorado, as well as to the Combating Terrorism Center at
West Point, among others, to discuss and consult with U.S.
counterparts and terrorism experts on U.S. community policing
approaches. PD has also identified two young Muslim leaders
to go to the U.S. under the framework of the International
Visitors Program: one to attend the regional program on U.S.
Approaches to Community Empowerment for Marginalized Youth;
the other to attend Current U.S. Political, Social, and
Educational Issues for Young Muslim Leaders. PD will
continue to include Muslim contacts on guest lists in order
to invite them to a variety of cultural and informational
programs along with other Belgians. PD will highlight U.S.
initiatives of particular interest to Muslims on Post's
websites, and it will draw on its already substantial network
of Muslim exchange program alumni to engage others in their
respective communities in order to broaden and deepen that
network.
5. (SBU) The political section plans to meet regularly with
elected officials in local communities such as Molenbeek,
Anderlecht, Borgerhout, and Hasselt to better understand
local efforts to communicate with Muslim stakeholders in
these predominantly Muslim neighborhoods. Political also
plans to meet with federal officials who lead on integration
and anti-radicalization efforts.
Comment
--------------
BRUSSELS 00001228 002 OF 002
6. (SBU) Post has solid contacts in Belium's Muslim
communities and with government officials who work with
Belgium's Muslims. We will continue our efforts to promote
outrech to Muslims and understand the GOB's integraton
efforts. The President's speech was well rceived in Belgium
and served as a reminder that Muslim engagement is a priority
for the .S. government.
GUTMAN
.
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE PASS EUR/WE AND S/P NASH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON OEXC OSCI PREL SCUL SENV SOCI TNGD
TSPL, KISL, BE
SUBJECT: EMBASSY BRUSSELS FOLLOW UP ON CAIRO SPEECH
REF: BRUSSELS 853
1. (SBU) Summary: Post is actively engaged with Belgium's
Muslim communities. Charge Bush used the occasion of the
President's Cairo speech to host a special outreach luncheon
on June 10 with key Muslim contacts (please see reftel).
Muslims in Belgium took great interest in the President's
speech, and were indeed hopeful that the United States would
take action on several themes he mentioned. Post is already
planning a robust outreach plan for FY 2009, and is engaged
with stakeholders in Muslim communities and with local and
federal government leaders. End Summary.
Charge's Muslim Outreach Luncheon
--------------
2. (SBU) The Charge's June 10 luncheon, held after the
President's Cairo speech, included Muslim stakeholders from
business, academia, government, and media. A strong
over-arching theme in the guests' comments (reftel) was the
need to improve integration of Muslims in Belgium, and
counter the sense of alienation many of them feel. Above all
else, Muslims in Belgium want to be accepted as Belgians, as
part of the community, with the education and employment
opportunities available to other Belgians. They also want to
preserve their religious identity - encouraging respect for
diversity is important to them.
3. (SBU) The areas of engagement from the speech that
received the most interest were human and economic
development. One guest noted that many in the Muslim world
have noted that the U.S. is often close to undemocratic
regimes. As Belgian-Muslims, the guests argued strongly for
the need to promote democracy and human rights in the Muslim
world. One guest stressed that education for women was the
best path to their empowerment, rather than debating the
wearing of the head scarf. She noted that men in
non-Muslim-majority countries are more focused on the head
scarf than women, and that the head scarf was a religious
rather than a women's issue. The guests urged the U.S. to
continue to promote trade and economic development in the
Muslim world. Weaker economies and lack of opportunity are
the main reasons Europe's Muslims chose to emigrate, they
said. Reftel also underscores the strong concern the guests
had about U.S. handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Post's Muslim Engagement Plans
--------------
4. (SBU) This fall, the public diplomacy (PD) section will
organize the Mission's fifth annual Iftar, to be hosted by
the Ambassador on September 14. PD has also scheduled an
American Muslim stand-up comedian to engage with young
minority (mainly Muslim) audiences as part of the Citizen
Dialogue program. During this same time-frame, PD is sending
a Belgian police commissioner to the Annual International
Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Conference in Denver,
Colorado, as well as to the Combating Terrorism Center at
West Point, among others, to discuss and consult with U.S.
counterparts and terrorism experts on U.S. community policing
approaches. PD has also identified two young Muslim leaders
to go to the U.S. under the framework of the International
Visitors Program: one to attend the regional program on U.S.
Approaches to Community Empowerment for Marginalized Youth;
the other to attend Current U.S. Political, Social, and
Educational Issues for Young Muslim Leaders. PD will
continue to include Muslim contacts on guest lists in order
to invite them to a variety of cultural and informational
programs along with other Belgians. PD will highlight U.S.
initiatives of particular interest to Muslims on Post's
websites, and it will draw on its already substantial network
of Muslim exchange program alumni to engage others in their
respective communities in order to broaden and deepen that
network.
5. (SBU) The political section plans to meet regularly with
elected officials in local communities such as Molenbeek,
Anderlecht, Borgerhout, and Hasselt to better understand
local efforts to communicate with Muslim stakeholders in
these predominantly Muslim neighborhoods. Political also
plans to meet with federal officials who lead on integration
and anti-radicalization efforts.
Comment
--------------
BRUSSELS 00001228 002 OF 002
6. (SBU) Post has solid contacts in Belium's Muslim
communities and with government officials who work with
Belgium's Muslims. We will continue our efforts to promote
outrech to Muslims and understand the GOB's integraton
efforts. The President's speech was well rceived in Belgium
and served as a reminder that Muslim engagement is a priority
for the .S. government.
GUTMAN
.