Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LISBON623
2009-12-16 13:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lisbon
Cable title:
PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS LISBON
how-toVZCZCXRO7826 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHLI #0623 3501318 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 161318Z DEC 09 FM AMEMBASSY LISBON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8013 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0264 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0083 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 0095 RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0144 RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0077 RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIRITY 0081 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 0113
C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 000623
SIPDIS
STATE DEPT FOR NEA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNGA KPAL IS PO
SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS LISBON
REF: A. LISBON 0595
B. LISBON O568
Classified By: DEPUTY POL/ECON COUNS MARIO FERNANDEZ, FOR 1.4 B AND D.
C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 000623
SIPDIS
STATE DEPT FOR NEA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNGA KPAL IS PO
SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS LISBON
REF: A. LISBON 0595
B. LISBON O568
Classified By: DEPUTY POL/ECON COUNS MARIO FERNANDEZ, FOR 1.4 B AND D.
1. (C) Deputy P/E Chief met on December 15 with Joao Neves da
Costa, Portuguese MFA Director for Middle East and Maghreb
Affairs, at Neves' request. Neves reported that Portuguese
Foreign Minister Luis Amado had met with Palestinian NATIONAL
Authority (PNA) Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki in Lisbon on
December 14 to discuss the Middle East peace process.
According to Neves, Amado had invited al-Malki to come to
Portugal months ago but al-Malki's schedule had not permitted
the visit until now. It was a fast trip: al-Malki arrived in
Portugal in the morning, met with Minister Amado and then
with senior MFA staff, had lunch with a small group of MFA
officials, and left Portugal. Neves reported that al-Malki
made two major points: 1) the PNA was disappointed by the
Obama Administration's lack of action; and 2) the PNA was
looking for positive U.S. signs to give Abbas a pretext to
return to talks.
2. (C) Neves said that al-Malki expressed his disappointment
in what he called the Obama Administration's failure to
achieve progress in the peace process. President Obama,
al-Malki said, had raised expectations to such a degree that
the Palestinian people expected immediate action and
Palestinian officials were under the gun to meet those
expectations. In the absence of concrete results, many
disaffected Palestinians were turning to radical elements,
namely Hamas. Al-Malki observed that Palestinians in general
believe that the U.S. has the power to solve the
long-standing problem, but lacks the resolve to stand up to
Israeli "intransigence."
3. (C) According to Neves, al-Malki indicated that the
Palestinians were looking for a clear "delineation" of U.S.
support for the PNA that could take the form of a
pro-Palestinian UN SECURITY COUNCIL resolution. While the
Palestinians were not sure exactly what the resolution would
say, they expected it would call for a return to the 1967
borders and lay out clear benchmarks for the establishment of
a Palestinian state. Such a resolution --a tangible
indication of international support-- would give Abbas the
cover necessary to fend off radicals and return to the
negotiating table. Al-Malki said that, in return, leaders in
other Arab countries would be prepared to support U.S.
positions on Iran and Afghanistan.
4. (C) Comment: Post notes that just last month, Portugal
voted in favor of the resolution endorsing the Goldstone
Report (ref B),despite MFA officials having previously
assured us that Portugal would follow the EU consensus. MFA
officials later explained that the decision to support the
resolution had been made at the last minute by the "highest
levels" and rationalized that because there was no EU
consensus, Portugal had been free to vote in favor.
For more reporting from Embassy Lisbon and information about Portugal,
please see our Intelink site:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/portal:port ugal
BALLARD
SIPDIS
STATE DEPT FOR NEA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNGA KPAL IS PO
SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS LISBON
REF: A. LISBON 0595
B. LISBON O568
Classified By: DEPUTY POL/ECON COUNS MARIO FERNANDEZ, FOR 1.4 B AND D.
1. (C) Deputy P/E Chief met on December 15 with Joao Neves da
Costa, Portuguese MFA Director for Middle East and Maghreb
Affairs, at Neves' request. Neves reported that Portuguese
Foreign Minister Luis Amado had met with Palestinian NATIONAL
Authority (PNA) Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki in Lisbon on
December 14 to discuss the Middle East peace process.
According to Neves, Amado had invited al-Malki to come to
Portugal months ago but al-Malki's schedule had not permitted
the visit until now. It was a fast trip: al-Malki arrived in
Portugal in the morning, met with Minister Amado and then
with senior MFA staff, had lunch with a small group of MFA
officials, and left Portugal. Neves reported that al-Malki
made two major points: 1) the PNA was disappointed by the
Obama Administration's lack of action; and 2) the PNA was
looking for positive U.S. signs to give Abbas a pretext to
return to talks.
2. (C) Neves said that al-Malki expressed his disappointment
in what he called the Obama Administration's failure to
achieve progress in the peace process. President Obama,
al-Malki said, had raised expectations to such a degree that
the Palestinian people expected immediate action and
Palestinian officials were under the gun to meet those
expectations. In the absence of concrete results, many
disaffected Palestinians were turning to radical elements,
namely Hamas. Al-Malki observed that Palestinians in general
believe that the U.S. has the power to solve the
long-standing problem, but lacks the resolve to stand up to
Israeli "intransigence."
3. (C) According to Neves, al-Malki indicated that the
Palestinians were looking for a clear "delineation" of U.S.
support for the PNA that could take the form of a
pro-Palestinian UN SECURITY COUNCIL resolution. While the
Palestinians were not sure exactly what the resolution would
say, they expected it would call for a return to the 1967
borders and lay out clear benchmarks for the establishment of
a Palestinian state. Such a resolution --a tangible
indication of international support-- would give Abbas the
cover necessary to fend off radicals and return to the
negotiating table. Al-Malki said that, in return, leaders in
other Arab countries would be prepared to support U.S.
positions on Iran and Afghanistan.
4. (C) Comment: Post notes that just last month, Portugal
voted in favor of the resolution endorsing the Goldstone
Report (ref B),despite MFA officials having previously
assured us that Portugal would follow the EU consensus. MFA
officials later explained that the decision to support the
resolution had been made at the last minute by the "highest
levels" and rationalized that because there was no EU
consensus, Portugal had been free to vote in favor.
For more reporting from Embassy Lisbon and information about Portugal,
please see our Intelink site:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/portal:port ugal
BALLARD