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."



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