READ-OUT FROM OIC ON "DEFAMATION OF RELIGIONS"

S E C R E T JEDDAH 000415

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP; IO/HR (NEVILLE); DRL/MLGA (SIBILLA)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2029
TAGS: PHUM PREL SA SI UNGA UN
SUBJECT: READ-OUT FROM OIC ON "DEFAMATION OF RELIGIONS"
RESOLUTION: UPSET BY MEDIA PORTRAYAL, WILLING TO
COMPROMISE, EVEN POSTPONE WITH HELP FROM FRIENDS

REF: STATE 109397

Classified By: Consul General Martin R. Quinn for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d)



1. (C) In October 28 meeting, Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC) senior advisor Ufuk Gokcen (protect) told
Jeddah Poloff that OIC Secretary Geneal Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu
was "upset" by the way te U.S. position was being portrayed
in the Arabi media, specifically noting that Arabc daily Al
Sharq Al Awsat quoted State Department official Michael
Posner as saying the OIC's resolution was "extreme." While
Gokcen understands that the Department is not attacking the
OIC, he fears that the statements quoted in the Arabic press
may be having a "snowball effect." .

OIC striving for cooperation but "getting bashed"
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2. (C) Gokcen said that while the OIC is pushing for
cooperation on a number of issues, including tolerance and
women's rights, even welcoming the U.S.-Egypt resolution on
freedom of speech, the OIC feels that it is "getting bashed"
nonetheless.

Willing to compromise
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3. (C) Gokcen said he personally thinks that many have "the
erroneous impression" that Egypt is willing to compromise
while the OIC itself is completely intransigent. Gokcen said
the OIC is willing to compromise on language and even the
title of the resolution. Indicating that the Secretary
General understood the US constitutional guarantee of freedom
of speech, Gokcen said the OIC felt that the EU countries
were in a better position to compromise but were not doing so
out of "arrogance." The secondee from the Turkish Ministry
of Foreign Affairs remarked,"The EU takes, but never gives."

Obvious that the Secretary is sincere
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4. (C) Despite US opposition to the defamation of religions
resolution, Gokcen said the OIC appreciates the fact that
Secretary Clinton often addresses the concerns of the Muslim
world: "It is obvious that she is sincere." On the other
hand, he said, such concern for Muslims would never be
communicated by the Europeans.

"Baseless" fears of lobbies and human rights groups
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5. (C) According to Gokcen, the OIC believes that lobby
groups, NGOs and Human Rights organizations in the U.S. have
decided to campaign against the OIC on this issue but have
not truly read the resolution text, falsely believing that it
is a Muslim attempt to curb freedom of speech and target
Christians and Jews. This belief, he said, is "baseless."

Response to idea of postponement
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6. (S) In response to the idea of postponing the resolution,
Gokcen said the Secretary General actually favored it and
could suggest a postponement, but was in no position to
impose anything on member states. Gokcen recommended that
"the most effective way to achieve postponement" is for the
U.S. to approach the Malaysians at the U.N. in New York
(where they act as OIC coordinators for human rights issues).
He also suggested that the U.S. talk to Pakistan, which has
the same role in Geneva, and perhaps ("behind the scenes")
with Iran. Gokcen said that in reality both he and the
Secretary General would be happy if the resolution were
postponed because at present the controversy was hurting OIC
efforts to work with the United States -- in effect
tarnishing the organization's image. He added that Ihsanoglu
obviously could not say this because of "concerns from the
OIC member states."
QUINN