TUNISIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON PEACE PROCESS, ARAB

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TUNIS 000145 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2020 TAGS: PREL MNUC PARM KPAL CASC IR IZ SY TS SUBJECT: TUNISIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON PEACE PROCESS, ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT, IRAN, IRAQ, SYRIA REF: A. STATE 15979 ¶B. STATE 12108 ¶C. STATE 9124 ¶D. 09 STATE 122214 ¶E. 09 STATE 120288 ¶F. 09 STATE 97443 TUNIS 00000145 001.2 OF 002 Classified by Ambassador Gordon Gray for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Foreign Minister Morjane told the Ambassador on February 23 that Tunisia remained committed to playing a constructive and moderating role in Middle East peace efforts. Morjane also discussed preparations for the Arab League summit set to be hosted by Libya in late March, noting the Libyans were working hard to ensure good attendance. The Ambassador urged Tunisia's full support for multilateral efforts to bring Iran into compliance with its international obligations and asked for Tunisia's humanitarian intervention on the cases of the three detained U.S. hikers and other Americans in Iran. The Ambassador also underlined the importance of the upcoming elections in Iraq and thanked Tunisia for a recent training program for Iraqi sanitary engineers. Foreign Minister Morjane welcomed the appointment of Robert Ford as the new Ambassador to Syria and hoped that improved relations with Damascus would reinforce efforts on Iran and Middle East peace. End summary. -------------- Tunisia and Middle East Peace -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador told the Foreign Minister that the United States was continuing its efforts to restart Middle East peace talks and was concerned that rejectionists might try to use the upcoming Arab League summit in Libya to isolate moderates and undermine the cause of peace. The Ambassador asked Morjane whether he thought Damascus-based Hamas leader Khaled Mishaal was likely to be invited to the summit. Morjane allowed that this was a current point of debate, with one camp arguing that Mishaal's attendance could promote reconciliation among Palestinian leaders, and another arguing it would simply undermine Abu Mazen. ¶3. (C) The Ambassador underlined that the U.S. believed that Abu Mazen needed to be supported and empowered by his Arab colleagues and encouraged to pursue negotiations with Israel. Recalling Tunisia's long history of support for the Palestinian Authority (PA),the Ambassador urged that Tunisia oppose any steps that would empower Hamas at the expense of the PA. "You know our position," Morjane replied, "if there is one Arab country that can speak eye to eye with Israel it is us," he stated, recalling President Bourguiba's historic 1965 speech in Jericho urging a two state solution. "You can rest assured that we will always play a moderating role." Welcoming Deputy Special Envoy Hale's potential visit to Tunis, Morjane said "we will be very interested to hear if he sees any new elements" that might stimulate progress toward peace talks. -------------- More on the AL Summit -------------- ¶4. (C) Morjane told the Ambassador that Syrian Vice President Shara's February 18 visit to Tunis had been less focused on Middle East peace than on "the need for unity" at the Arab League Summit, which was more likely to be staged in Sirte than Tripoli, Morjane believed. The Libyans are working hard to make the summit a success, but are concerned about non-attendance, Morjane observed, noting particular doubt about whether (Saudi) King Abdullah would show up. Qadhafi is also keen to ensure attendance from Maghreb heads of state, Morjane continued, recalling that Libya also holds the chairmanship of the Arab Maghreb Union. Morjane cautiously predicted that President Ben Ali would attend, though he stressed no final decision had been made. If heads of all the AMU states are present, "it could be an historic opportunity," the Foreign Minister opined. Next week's meeting of the Arab League council in Cairo would probably yield clarity in a number of areas, Morjane predicted. -------------- Iran -------------- ¶5. (C) Drawing on points conveyed in refs A, B, C, and E, the TUNIS 00000145 002.2 OF 002 Ambassador urged Tunisian support for continuing multilateral efforts to bring Iran into compliance with its obligations under international law. It has been more than four months since Under Secretary Burns sat down for talks with Iranian counterparts, but Iran has yet to fulfill any of the commitments it made in October, the Ambassador lamented. The international community has put forward concrete proposals that make clear that no one is trying to deny nuclear power or nuclear medicine facilities to Iran, but Tehran has responded defiantly, most recently with its announced intent to enrich its uranium stocks to 20 percent. At the end of the meeting, the Ambassador passed to Elias Kasri, Director-General for Asian and American Affairs, a non-paper drawn from ref A, outlining the U.S. response to the latest Iranian threat on uranium enrichment. ¶6. (C) The Ambassador also requested that Tunisia urge Iran to release three detained U.S. hikers and two detained Americans of Iranian descent, on humanitarian grounds, and also cooperate in the investigation of the 2007 disappearance of Robert Levinson. Morjane replied sympathetically but did not make any commitments. ¶7. (C) Foreign Minister Morjane asserted that Tunisia is following closely international diplomatic efforts on Iran and is strongly supportive of a peaceful settlement. "The last thing the Gulf region needs is another war," Morjane opined, adding that, in Tunisia's view, the issues of Iran, Iraq, and Middle East peace were all interlinked, and progress or deterioration in any of these tracks would directly impact the status of the others. -------------- Iraq -------------- ¶8. (C) On Iraq, the Ambassador pointed to preparations for the March 7 parliamentary elections as a major milestone on Iraq's path to stability and normalization. He asked that the Government of Tunisia make a public statement about the elections before or right after they take place. Recalling that Tunisia is one of very few Arab countries that have maintained a continuous diplomatic presence in Baghdad, the Ambassador also praised Tunisia for its training program, implemented in late January in cooperation with Japan, for Iraqi technicians and engineers managing liquid waste. This sort of practical effort helps contribute to the reintegration of Iraq into the region and offers at the same time practical assistance that helps the lives of ordinary Iraqis. If Tunisia can provide more assistance in this regard it will be noted and appreciated, the Ambassador underlined. "We will move in that direction," Morjane affirmed. -------------- Syria -------------- ¶9. (C) Repeating his view that Iran, Iraq, and the peace process are all interlinking issues, Foreign Minister Morjane also expressed his satisfaction at news of the appointment of Robert Ford as the first U.S. Ambassador in Damascus since ¶2004. The Ambassador agreed and recalled that the news follows the visit to Damascus last week of Under Secretary Burns, the most senior official to visit Syria in several years. These developments improved chances for the eventual revitalization of the Syrian-Israeli peace track, the Ambassador opined. Morjane agreed, adding that Turkey was well positioned to act as a mediator, both with regard to Syria and to Iran. ¶10. (U) Tripoli minimize considered. GRAY