READ-OUT ON OIC MINISTERIAL IN DAMASCUS: SUPPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000186 SIPDIS FOR IO, IO/UNP, NEA/ARP, NEA/ELA, EUR/SCE; INFO DRL, G/TIP, IRF E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/26/2014 TAGS: EG KISL KO PREL RP SA SY OIC OFDP OVIP SUBJECT: READ-OUT ON OIC MINISTERIAL IN DAMASCUS: SUPPORT FOR KOSOVO, STALL ON HUMAN RIGHTS, SPOT FOR SYG AT POTUS SPEECH IN CAIRO REF: A. JEDDAH 0175 ¶B. JEDDAH 0173 ¶C. JEDDAH 0172 ¶D. JEDDAH 0166 ¶E. JEDDAH 0165 ¶F. JEDDAH 0163 JEDDAH 00000186 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Consul General Martin R. Quinn for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. In May 25 conversation with Jeddah poloff, Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) adviser Ufuk Gokcen reviewed developments at the May 23-25 OIC Ministerial in Damascus, which included passage of a "modest" Kosovo resolution along with a watered-down version of a proposal to establish a human rights commission within the OIC. A decision on admitting non-member states to OIC observer status was deferred. With OIC continuing to press for SYG Ihsanoglu to attend POTUS speech in Cairo, post requests Department guidance; see comment/action request para 8. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) KOSOVO RESOLUTION PASSES: A resolution supporting Kosovo was passed by the Organization of the Islamic Conference(OIC) Council of Ministers meeting according to OIC adviser Ufuk Gokcen. The resolution, expected to face opposition from Egypt (ref C) and possibly Algeria, in the end was reportedly approved with minor alterations. Gokcen opined that the proposal is still "very modest, very minimal," but is in essence the text transmitted to Department (ref F). Post has not seen the final copy, but there is a possibility it may be posted after a few days on the OIC website. Apparently Egypt put up almost no resistance in the "special committee" addressing the resolution and there was little debate. ¶3. (SBU) FINAL COMMUNIQUE: The Damascus Ministerial wrap-up currently on the OIC website underscores "the centrality" of the Jerusalem issue, rejecting "Israel's attempts to judaize and conduct aggressive acts against Islamic holy sites in Al-Quds" while adopting the Damascus Declaration "boosting Islamic solidarity in the face of current political and economic developments." As for normalizing member states' relations with Israel, "the Secretary General commented that Israel ought to abide by international resolutions and restitute (sic) Arab territories under its occupation." �00A; ¶4. (C) KOSOVARS NOT IN ATTENDANCE: Despite a push by the OIC Secretariat and Albania to have Kosovo attend the Council of Ministers meeting (ref D),the Syrian government clearly did not issue an invitation. However, Serbia, another non-member/non-observer state was allowed to attend -- provoking the ire of the Albanian delegation which threatened to withdraw from the conference. To ease the tension, the OIC secretariat removed the Serbian name-plate and asked that they be seated in the mezzanine further back from the main action. ¶5. (C) STALL ON HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: A detailed draft plan for establishing a human rights commission within the OIC appears not/not to have passed in its original form. Instead OIC ministers approved a watered-down version calling for an additional "experts meeting" and setting a "deadline" of the 2010 Ministerial in Tajikistan to approve a proposal outlining the specifics of the commission. Gokcen noted that experts from the Geneva-based Human Rights Commission attended the OIC Ministerial and were effective in relieving some of the Iranian pressure regarding the resolution (ref B). With resistance from quarters within the OIC and considering the organization's inability to move forward except by broad consensus, the SYG seems to have preferred to "punt" for the time being. ¶6. (C) NON-MEMBER OBSERVERS: The Philippines sent a large JEDDAH 00000186 002.2 OF 002 delegation to the conference in hope of gaining observer status (ref C). Indonesia fought hard on the neighbor's behalf, as did, surprisingly, Pakistan -- which was expected to fear a similar overture by India. In the end no resolution was passed on non-member observer status, but it was agreed that an "expert meeting" would be convened in Jeddah to establish the criteria by which non-member states might become observers. The issue was said to be "one of the most heated" at the Damascus conference, with the Philippines delegation reported to have left "somewhat upset at the results." ¶7. (C) POTUS IN CAIRO: Gokcen pressed again OIC's strong wish in having SYG Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu invited to venue for upcoming POTUS speech to Muslim world in Cairo in early June. (ref A). ¶8. (C) COMMENT/ACTION REQUEST FOR NEA/ARP AND IO: With regard to OIC's persistent pressing for an invitation to the upcoming POTUS speech in Cairo (ref A),post would appreciate Department guidance on responding. If there is an expectation that OIC will get a green light on its request, post would be pleased to convey same. Otherwise, we recommend informing OIC -- when they ask again through us or their office in New York -- that the decision on attendance at a Cairo venue is generally that of the hosts, in this case the Egyptians, whom the OIC may be fairly well-positioned -- through its Political Affairs DG Amb Mahdy Fathalla -- to lobby on its own. END COMMENT. QUINN