USEU AND MUSLIM ENGAGEMENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000121

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT PASS TO EUR/PGI - IWEINSTEIN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EUN KISL PGOV PHUM PREL SCUL SOCI PTER PINS
KPAO
SUBJECT: USEU AND MUSLIM ENGAGEMENT

REF: A) 09 STATE 127215 B) 09 BRUSSELS 444

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1. (U) SUMMARY: USEU Muslim outreach efforts have two
objectives: U.S-EU cooperation on countering radicalization
in Europe and globally, and sharing of best practices in
integrating minorities into our societies. The latter
cooperation on broader integration of minorities particularly
reinforces an image of transatlantic common interests and
shared values. USEU Public Affairs (PA) and the political
section (POL) conduct regular consultation with EU officials
at the Council, Commission, and Parliament to make our Muslim
outreach both in and beyond Europe complementary and
reinforcing. USEU PA program partners include Brussels think
tanks, NGOs, and American NGOs with whom we bring
international experts to Brussels for public discussions. END
SUMMARY.

EU CONTEXT


2. (U) USEU focuses its programs and messages on the
policymakers and opinion leaders in the EU institutions as
well as think tanks and NGO's that influence EU leaders. For
the EU, programs that aim to counter the radicalization of
Muslim communities encompass both domestic and foreign
policy. The issue is addressed by the Council, the
Commission, and the European Parliament, cutting across
various Commission and Parliamentary committees. In each
case, our EU counterparts have been open to U.S.
collaboration and exchange of best practices.


3. (SBU) The EU is increasingly engaged in both areas of
Muslim outreach (Ref B). While domestic Muslim outreach is
largely an issue of individual EU member states, the European
Commission and Council coordinate and disseminate information
to the 27 member states. The Commission has a "Plan of Action
on Combating Terrorism," updated recently on the basis of
four academic studies on radicalization trends commissioned
by the EU. The Commission also established a European
Network of Experts (which includes some U.S. participation).
Given the diversity of Muslim populations in EU member states
and varying approaches to their integration, there is some
division of labor in addressing radicalization and general
minority integration. The UK specializes in communication,
for example, France in countering radicalization in prisons,
Spain in imam training, The Netherlands in community
programs, Germany in surveillance of the Internet, etc. The
Spanish EU rotating presidency hosted a conference in Madrid
January 13-14 on terrorist recruitment and radicalization
attended by experts from all 27 member states. The U.S. was
invited to the first session at which the U.S. experts made
two well-received presentations.

STRATEGY AND NEXT STEPS:


4. (SBU) Through visits of Washington officials, American
and European experts, we now frequently share ideas and best
practices on issues, such as countering radicalization in
youth-at-risk, women's empowerment, and minority integration.
DRL Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner engaged NGOs
during a recent visit to Brussels on how the U.S. deals with
the problem of defamation of religions and Islamaphobia, with
examples of how other countries do so. The U.S. and EU are
also discussing plans for future specific cooperation in
countering radicalization.


5. (SBU) Our EU partners agree with us that we should
continue to broaden the discussion beyond "Muslim outreach"
to integrating minorities in general. U.S. efforts to bring
other practitioners into the public debate, such as our
program with an African-French community activist now
deputy-mayor in Paris' 18th arrondissement, have been greeted
with enthusiasm. A recent session addressed minority
empowerment through entrepreneurship, which we will follow
with a transatlantic meeting on educational policies. Also
planned is possible cooperation on EU efforts to look at
media training to counter stereotypes of minority groups in
Europe and beyond.


6. (SBU) Finally, the USEU policy dialogue with the EU also
relates to democratic, economic and educational reform in
Muslim-majority countries, including promoting interfaith
dialogue through the work of international non-profit actors
and organizations.


7. (U) USEU PA has a close working relationship with the
other sections and agencies at the Mission. PA works with
the Senior Consular Officer and PRM Officer in the Political
Section and the DHS Attache who together recently launched a

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Migration Dialogue with the EU, the long-term focus of which
includes integration and concrete steps for countering
radicalization and promoting human rights.


8. (U) Comment: Official and non-official Europeans
welcomed President Obama's overture to the Muslim world as
promising further action. Our cooperation with the EU should
continue to build upon sharing relevant U.S. and European
experience in integrating minorities and countering extremism
leading to practical results and possible joint programs.
End comment.

KENNARD
.