ASKING TO SEE WORDS LINKED TO ACTION, JEDDAH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 JEDDAH 000215 SIPDIS NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, R, INR/R E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2014 TAGS: KIRF KISL KPAO PGOV PREL SA TU EG SUBJECT: ASKING TO SEE WORDS LINKED TO ACTION, JEDDAH AUDIENCE EXPRESSES STRONGLY POSITIVE REACTION TO POTUS SPEECH: "FROM WHERE DID YOU GET THIS MAN?" REF: STATE 55334 JEDDAH 00000215 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: Consul General Martin R. Quinn for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: President Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo to the Muslim world was very positively received by an audience of a dozen Saudi elites, Muslim diplomats, and a senior OIC official at the Consul General's residence in Jeddah. The speech was viewed as setting US-Islamic relations in a new and positive direction, and as helping to promote an atmosphere of trust and understanding. With particular regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, several audience members said they wished to see tangible results and action as well as a shift in US regional policy. One participant expressed apprehension that an inspirational American president who held such sympathetic views towards Muslims could not survive in office. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) JEDDAH AUDIENCE FINDS MUCH TO PRAISE IN THE SPEECH: Saudi Economic Survey publisher Walid Ashoor said he believes the speech will have historical significance: "This speech was on the same level as Ronald Reagan calling on Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall." Al Hayat Managing Editor Hisham Kaaki remarked, "Today I have truly seen a leader." Dr. Maisa Sobaihi, playwright and professor at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, one of two Saudi women present, added, "The speech was clever; he stated facts. Here it is, and let's deal with it. At the end, the speech turned into a campaign with no promises, but with obvious good will." President of the Middle East Center for Strategic Studies Anwar Eshki got a strong response when he stated emphatically: "I want to ask the Americans a simple question: 'From where did you get this man?'" ¶3. (SBU) OBAMA LAUDED FOR PROMOTING TWO STATE SOLUTION, CALLING FOR END TO SETTLEMENTS, ADDRESSING HAMAS: Participants expressed general praise for the President's call to end new settlements in the West Bank and to press for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Business executive and part-time CNN journalist Salem Mojadidi, the only Afghan national present, remarked: "The fact that he referred to Hamas but not under the rubric of a terrorist organization is a major step." Ashoor was impressed that the President mentioned the Israeli occupation: "I don't remember when another President has said that before." He later tempered his expectations: "There is no need to dwell on facts. We don't expect the US to go and solve all the issues. We want to come up with guidelines to solutions to solve the conflict." ¶4. (SBU) AUDIENCE IMPRESSED BY QURANIC REFERENCES, USE OF ARABIC, CULTURAL AWARENESS: At the moment the President uttered the words "issalam waleikum" to the crowd, Mojadidi turned to Poloff and exclaimed: "What a good way to break the ice!" Ashoor called the President's use of Quranic passages "amazing," noting: "He has been exposed to both cultures. He has been exposed more (to Islam) than any other President that has come to power." The Political Science Chair at King Abdul Aziz University, Haitham Linjawi, said that adding the phrase "peace be upon them" when referring to the prophet Mohammed (Moses and Jesus) is significant: "More than anything, he is a man with perspective." Linjawi was impressed by the President's sharing his knowledge of the region and obvious cultural awareness. ¶5. (C) EGYPTIAN AND TURKISH CONSULS GENERAL SEE NEW PATH EMERGING: Consul General of Turkey Salih Mutlu Sen saw lots to be optimistic about from the speech and believed that this insight in part stems from the President's background. "He is sincere about Islam. He is convincing by his birth and the fact that his father was a Muslim; he is constantly sincere. He is not totally detached from the Muslim world." He found that Obama supports "the undeniable common denominator of universal human rights." Egyptian Consul General Ali Al-Ashiry opined on the appropriateness of the venue and Egypt's "rightful place as (the traditional) leader of the Muslim world," stating that the speech marks a new beginning: "It reflects change in the orientation of the United States Government towards the Muslm world. It reflects that the US JEDDAH 00000215 002.2 OF 003 is starting a new chapter." Al-Ashiry pointed to the President's words on Israel and Palestine as most relevant: "The core issue is changing the image of the United States in the Islamic world as playing an active role in creating a two-state solution. Many promises have been made in the past and I think Muslims are expecting action. It is important that he called for a stop to settlements." ¶6. (SBU) A SPEECH FOR "US MUSLIMS" AND A SPEECH FOR ALL: It was widely voiced by the audience that the speech was not directed solely to the Muslim world, but was instead intended for a global audience and in part to Americans listening at home. Executive Director of Public Relations and Media at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sarah Baghdadi commented: "I felt like the speech was directed not just to us in the Muslim world, but to the entire world." Mojadidi echoed the sentiment: "The speech was universal and not only to the Islamic world." ¶7. (C) OIC OFFICIAL ON ISRAEL/PALESTINE: OIC Coordinator for Palestinian Affairs Samir Diab Baker (a Palestinian from Nablus) concurred with the essence of President Obama's message noting, "As a Palestinian, it was great how he addressed the issue of Palestine." He praised Obama's objection to settlement expansion and offered hope that the President's role may lead to progress: "He made it clear what role the United States can play with the help of other partners in the region. He was able to make it clear to the Muslim world that he is for a two-state solution." ¶8. (SBU) GREAT SPEECH, BUT WHAT ABOUT GAZA, ISRAELI NUKES, PAST MISTAKES?: Walid Ashoor felt that the President delivered an exceptional speech, but could have gone further on certain topics: "This is definitely the best speech an American president can give to the Muslim world." Ashoor listed several areas of concern: "He stopped short of mentioning Israeli violence, whose acts are equivalent to Hamas violence. He did not mention the nuclear weapons in Israel. We think there is a greater threat from Israel than from Iran. Generally speaking, we do not want Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, neither do we want Israel to obtain weapons." Anwar Eshki stated his conviction that Obama did not admit any US mistakes during the speech adding that "he tried to justify the invasion of Iraq." This comment sparked some debate with others disagreeing with the analysis. Eshki also noted the President avoided reference to the recent hostilities in Gaza. Mojadidi was surprised and impressed by the President's acknowledgment of the US role in toppling a democratically-elected government in Iran in 1953: "He mentioned an American shortcoming -- the overthrow of Mossadeq in Iran." ¶9. (C) ADMIRATION BUT SIMULTANEOUS APPREHENSION FOR PRESIDENT'S SURVIVAL: Saudi businessman and member of the Jeddah Governing Council Hammam Khusheim, enormously moved by Obama's words, turned to the CG at the conclusion of the speech and whispered that he could almost not believe what he had just heard, saying it made him feel apprehensive about the President's political (and physical) survival -- as if to say an inspirational (JFK-esque) American president who understood and seemed to sympathize with the Muslim world could not last in office. ¶10. (SBU) FOUNDATION OF TRUST ESTABLISHED -- SO WHAT'S NEXT!: While audience members praised the speech for the President's connection to Muslims and effort to establish trust, several said they were eager to see tangible results. Mojadidi remarked: "I will leave today asking myself when will the President embark upon these missions?" Sobaihi echoed the impression: "The speech was to establish trust, but I didn't get the sense he will be jumping into the issues soon." Eshki took up the same theme: "President Obama spoke of very good things, but we are waiting to see the action." ¶11. (C) COMMENT: The Jeddah audience through words, expression and applause showed genuine admiration for the President as a leader, his speech overwhelmingly viewed as a first positive step. Optimism was voiced that the moment can be seized as the beginning of practical solutions to Muslims' most pressing problems and of an effort to repair relations JEDDAH 00000215 003.2 OF 003 between Americans and Muslims. Participants appreciated the "direct and honest words" about Israel and Palestine, but the outlook was more tempered on the point of whether President Obama will be able to decisively influence the situation. For now the Saudis we engage with here are likely to support the President, a leader with whom they feel they have a definite, almost personal connection and a basis for trust. However, that confidence is linked and -- to some extent -- is conditional upon the expectation of a shift in US policy with respect to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The issue is invariably mentioned by Saudi interlocutors as the most critical obstacle to improving relations between the Islamic world and America. END COMMENT. QUINN