MARCH 12 ARAB 'QUAD' MEETING IN RIYADH

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 000488


E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2019
TAGS: PREL SA EG SY KWBG
SUBJECT: MARCH 12 ARAB 'QUAD' MEETING IN RIYADH


1. (C) Egyptian DCM Kassam (protect) provided Post with a
readout March 24 of the March 12 Saudi/Egypt/Syria/Kuwait
'mini-summit' in Riyadh, and made the following

KEY POINTS:

-- (C) The purpose of the meeting was to cement Arab unity
in advance of the Doha Arab League summit.

-- (C) Syria accepted to play a positive role with Hamas and
the formation of a Palestinian unity government.

-- (C) The four participants agreed that any Arab country
can maintain relations with Iran based on its own interests,
but not to the detriment of another Arab country.

-- (C) The four agreed to accept any legitimate results from
the upcoming Lebanese elections.

-- (C) The GCC initiative for Gaza reconstruction is on hold
pending agreement on a Palestinian unity government.
Reconciliation efforts will simply continue if there is no
agreement before Doha.

-- (C) Kassam stressed that there is no daylight between
Egypt and Saudi Arabia on Arab unity issues. King Abdullah
and President Mubarak are in constant contact, he said, as
are their staffs and lower level officials. The two
countries have "an identity of interests," he added, as they
are the "only two powers in the Middle East able to play
positive roles" in addressing these issues.


2. (C) BUT IT DIDN,T WORK: In a follow-up conversation
March 29, Kassam said Mubarak's decision not to attend the
Doha summit was motivated by Egyptian disappointment with the
"adamant" position of "Arab countries that supported Hamas"
and were "not keen" to have a Palestinian unity agreement
before Doha. Kassam added that the Egyptian Deputy Security
Chief has been sent to Damascus for talks with Hamas
officials based there and with the Syrians, in hopes of
convening a further round of Palestinian unity negotiations
after Doha.


3. (C) COMMENT: Given Mubarak's decision not to go to Doha,
the March 12 Riyadh meeting appears at this point to have
failed in its purpose of engendering Arab unity, at least on
the Palestinian issue. The course of events also calls into
question Saudi efforts to forge a meaningful rapprochement
with Syria, since it suggests no fundamental shift in Syrian
support for "resistance."


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