TUNISIANS SAY "BRAVO" TO PRESIDENT'S CAIRO SPEECH,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 TUNIS 000343 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/PPD, AND NEA/MAG NSC FOR SCHAPRIO E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2019 TAGS: PREL KISL KPAL KPAO TS SUBJECT: TUNISIANS SAY "BRAVO" TO PRESIDENT'S CAIRO SPEECH, BUT SOME WISH HE HAD GONE FURTHER Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) At a small gathering with opinion leaders and a reception for young people, as well as in exchanges with diplomatic officials, Ambassador and EmbOffs heard an overwhelmingly positive response to President Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo. While some contacts would have liked to see the President go further or be more specific, there was universal and often effusive praise for the spirit and tone of his remarks. The Quranic references and Obama's acknowledgment of Islam's contributions to civilization also resonated positively. ¶2. (SBU) On the policy front, many contacts applauded what they perceived as a clear break with policies put forward by the previous Administration. -- Reflecting the widely held view that the Israeli-Palestinian question represents the linchpin to regional peace and security, most reactions focused on that aspect of the speech. Many welcomed the Administration's firm stance on Israeli settlements, although some said Obama should have also called for dismantlement. One commentator criticized the bias he perceived by the mention of Israeli children hit by rockets without reference to victimized Palestinian children. -- While the message on Iraq and Afghanistan was welcome, some contacts expressed skepticism about follow-through. -- While some commentators opined that the message on democracy was strong, those in the opposition would have liked to see more encouragement for reform. -- Because of the sensitivity of the issue of the hijab in Tunisia, whose government opposes "sectarian dress," that aspect of the speech received mixed reviews. Embassy will continue to track and report on speech reactions, as appropriate. End Summary. -------------- Amplifying the Message -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Beginning immediately after President Obama's June 4 speech at al-Azhar, Ambassador and EmbOffs reached out to a wide range of contacts, reinforcing key points. We distributed copies of the speech in English and Arabic. We placed information about the address on the Embassy's website, on our facebook page, and in Ambassador's blog. In addition, the Ambassador hosted two events: that afternoon he held a coffee with a select group of opinion leaders; the same evening, he hosted a reception for young people, many of whom were exchange program alumni. -------------- Egyptian and Palestinian Ambassadors Effusive in Praise; MFA Says "Bravo" -------------- ¶4. (C) Speaking to the Ambassador following President Obama's address in Cairo today, the Palestinian Ambassador described the speech as "wonderful" and "very, very positive." He opined that the Palestinians had heard what they needed on the question of Middle East peace. The Egyptian Ambassador was also effusive in his praise, saying that it was clear that Obama had been speaking from the heart and that his words went to the heart of the Arab and Muslim world. He noted the audience's generous applause and responsiveness to Obama's use of the Islamic greeting assalaamu alaykum, among other Quranic references. Hatem Landoulsi, from the MFA's Americas Desk, momentarily dispensing with prohibitions on contact with the Embassy, exclaimed to A/DCM "Bravo!" in response to the speech. -------------- Sincere in Spirit, Positive in Tone -------------- ¶5. (SBU) At the Ambassador's June 4 tea for a group of Tunisian intellectuals and opinion leaders, we again heard "Bravo!" from our interlocutors. Tunisian commentators have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic in their praise for the TUNIS 00000343 002 OF 004 speech, especially its tone. Retired Ambassador and frequent commentator Ahmed Ounaies captured the sentiments of many when he praised the sincerity with which Obama spoke and the positive spirit of the speech. The President's Quranic references had resonated with the Tunisian audience, who credited Obama for being the first President to quote Quranic verses. ¶6. (C) By the same token, commentators appreciated Obama's respectful references to civilization's debt to Islam. Editor-in-Chief of the French-language weekly Realites Zied Krichen opined that, "From an historical, cultural and civilizational perspective, it was very strong." He said that the recognition of the contributions of Islamic society in science and medicine, as well as the contributions to the development of Europe, were very powerful. ¶7. (C) Ounaies opined that the tone of Obama's speech would "help correct the, if not demagoguery, the belligerence and misunderstandings of the previous Administration." Former Foreign Minister Beji Caid Essebsi agreed, saying that Obama came off as a true statesman in the speech. "He was strong in his convictions but cognizant of his responsibilities." Ounaies also credited Obama for speaking about the events of September 11, 2001 without vindictiveness. He praised Obama's clear respect for human dignity, which he said permeated the speech. -------------- Largely Positive Reactions to Content Amid Some Criticism/Doubts about Implementation -------------- ¶8. (C) Contacts singled out several components of the speech for comment, with Obama's remarks on the Israeli-Palestinian situation garnering the most attention: ...On Middle East Peace -------------- -- Ambassador Ounaies praised Obama for going further than any sitting president in acknowledging the suffering of the Palestinian people. He was also effusive about the tenacity of President Obama and Secretary Clinton on the need to halt settlement activity, even if the face of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's obstinacy. -- The opinion leaders also responded favorably to the line in the speech that underscored the need for consistency between what is said in private and public. -- Commentators appreciated that Obama had not characterized Hamas as a terrorist movement. Instead, he had left the door open for them to be a part of the political process, on condition, of course, that they give up violence and accept the existence of Israel. Former FM Essebsi predicted that this approach would empower "reasonable" Palestinians to accept an honorable solution, even with painful compromises. -- Several contacts expressed pleasure over Obama's reference to Jerusalem as the lasting home for Jews and Christians and Muslims, which they interpreted as a repudiation of Israeli claims on Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of Israel. Some also commented that this point seemed to echo the spirit of the 1947 UN partition resolution. -- Krichen welcomed Obama's call for non-violence, which, in his view reinforced the parallels between Palestinian national aspirations and the civil rights movement in the United States, the fight against apartheid in South Africa, and the liberation of India. -- Reflecting a Tunisian-centered worldview, which we also heard from several local staff members, Essebsi likened Obama's positions with those put forward by former President Bourguiba, who called for a two-state solution in his 1965 speech in Jericho. -- Moncef Ben M'rad, Editor of the Arabic weekly Akhbar al-Joumhouria, expressed disappointment that the speech did not dispel the abiding sense of injustice the feeds desperation and extremism. In particular, he said, it will not go unnoticed that Obama spoke of Israeli children dying under rockets, without any mention of victimized Palestinian children. -- Opposition leader Mustapha Ben Jaafar expressed skepticism about Obama's ability to deliver on Middle East peace, noting TUNIS 00000343 003 OF 004 that the timing is not propitious. "Just when we get an American government that is so open, we have a right-wing Israeli government so closed-minded." -- In addition, magazine editor Zied Krichen would have liked to see Obama go further on settlements. "It's great that he said settlement activity must stop," he said. But Obama should have gone further, to call for dismantling of settlements. ... On Iraq and Afghanistan -------------- -- The opinion leaders welcomed Obama's recognition that military force alone is not the solution in Iraq or Afghanistan. Some suggested that this message was also directed at the Government of Israel. -- One of the editors opined, however, that, while the point on the US military withdrawal from Iraq was easily understood and accepted, the argument on Afghanistan was more difficult to accept, since Obama implied that US forces would remain as long as long as violent extremists exist. ... On Democracy -------------- -- Several contacts viewed favorably Obama's message on democracy. They welcomed the acknowledgment that the previous Administration's focus on democracy promotion was tainted by its association with the war in Iraq. -- Several also appreciated Obama's focus on the universal yearning to have a say in governance, as well as the notion that power should derive from consent. After reviewing Obama's words, Ounaies affirmed, "He gets it!" -- Contacts who represent or sympathize with independent opposition parties have tended to criticize the line in the speech about not imposing a system of government. They have argued that this could end up emboldening authoritarian rulers. Likewise, some found this part of the speech did not go far enough in encouraging political reformers. ... on Religion in Society -------------- -- A couple contacts told PolOff that they thought it had been clever for Obama to stop off first in Saudi Arabia, effectively "checking the box" at the center of Sunni Islam, before proceeding to Cairo. -- There were mixed views among Embassy contacts with respect Obama's defense of the right of women to wear the hijab. Some contacts, who subscribe the Tunisian government position that the hijab represents "sectarian dress," opined that this was a mistake. Others were more focused on -- and seemed to relish thought of -- the discomfort that Obama's comments would cause French President Sarkozy. ... On Economic Development and Opportunity -------------- -- While the opinion leaders at the Ambassador's tea hardly focused on the economic development aspect of the speech, one up-and-coming student leader wasted no time in contacting Econ/CommercialOff to make clear that he and others in his young entrepreneurs club were anxious to take advantage of the exchange and internship opportunities to which President Obama referred. ... On Shared Values -------------- -- Our contacts generally appreciated the theme of reconciliation and a "new beginning." Essebsi offered a different take on that theme, however. In his view, the reconciliation at issue was not so much between America and the Muslim world; rather, it was a reconciliation between America and itself. "When America is true to itself," he said, "we are with you." -------------- Missed Opportunity for Something Dramatic -------------- ¶9. (C) Newspaper Editor Ben M'rad faulted the speech for lacking concrete proposals to realize the ideas that Obama TUNIS 00000343 004 OF 004 articulated. He recalled that there had been high expectations for this speech. While elites and intellectuals will understand and even accept many of the arguments, he continued, an opportunity had been missed to get the attention of Arab "street," particularly youth, who were waiting for something dramatic on the Palestinian issue. He opined that in some of the more sensitive parts of the speech, Obama was too careful in trying to stick to the safe middle ground. As a result, he said, the speech was rational but not visionary when it came to the specific issues. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶10. (C) Judging from the preliminary reactions of our Tunisian contacts, President Obama set the right tone in his Cairo speech. While some would have liked to have seen him go further on substance, and some found fault with particular aspects of what he said or did not say, the overwhelming reaction has been positive. Embassy will continue to gauge reactions and report accordingly in the coming days. End Comment. Please visit Embassy Tunis' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/tunis/index.c fm Godec