VZCZCXRO3007
OO RUEHBZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #1176/01 1121105
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221105Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4810
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 001176 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MEPN KPAL ARABL EG IS
SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS STATEMENT ON ARAB 
PEACE INITIATIVE 
 
REF: CAIRO 1162 (NOTAL) 
 
¶1.  (U) Foreign ministers of the Arab League's committee 
assigned to follow up on the League's Arab Peace Initiative 
(API) -- or Beirut 2002 Initiative -- met in Cairo on April 
18 to determine the manner in which the League will seek to 
market the API with Israel and the international community. 
A formal communique was produced by the 14-member committee 
following their lengthy deliberations.  The text of their 
communique is located at paragraph two.  Reftel provides a 
more nuanced readout of the meeting provided by AL Secretary 
General Moussa's Chief of Staff. 
 
¶2.  (U) Text of Arab League's April 18 Communique (unofficial 
Embassy translation): 
 
Begin text: 
 
Meeting of the Ministerial Committee on the Arab Peace 
Initiative 
Cairo, April 18, 2007 
 
In follow up to the implementation of the Riyadh Summit 
resolution to reactivate the Arab Peace Initiative, the 
concerned ministerial committee responsible for the 
initiative held a meeting today, chaired by the Saudi Foreign 
Minister, and attended by foreign ministers of state members 
of the committee, along with the Arab League Secretary 
General.  They discussed Arab diplomatic and political steps 
during the coming period and goals for the committee to 
achieve with regards to consultations and contacts with the 
UN Secretary General, members of the UN Security Council, the 
international Quartet, and concerned parties in the peace 
process to mobilize support for this initiative and to 
reactivate the peace process. 
 
After the committee reviewed efforts exerted to activate the 
peace process and evaluate its developments in the light of 
new occurrences towards the Arab Peace Initiative, the 
committee adopted the following: 
 
First:  Formation of a Working Team: 
 
Forming an Arab Ministerial delegation including Jordan, 
Saudi Arabia, Syria, Palestine, Qatar, Lebanon, Egypt, 
Morocco, and the AL Secretary General to offer the Arab point 
of view on means to implement the Initiative and to consult 
on means to resume the peace process on all fronts and 
achieving peaceful settlement within a determined time frame, 
and preparing a chain of collateral or one-on-one meetings 
with the UNSG, SC Members, International Quartet, European 
Union, European Parliament, African Union, Organization of 
American States, Organization of Islamic Conferences, 
Non-Aligned Movement, Japan, Norway, and other concerned 
countries and international and regional organizations.  The 
delegation should commence its duties and contacts as soon as 
possible. 
 
In implementation of AL Riyadh Summit number 367, Egypt and 
Jordan (the two Arab States that regained their lands), are 
to exert efforts to reactivate the Arab Peace Initiative and 
facilitate the commencement of direct negotiations (with 
Israel);  this is in accordance with paragraph 2 of the 
relevant summit resolution which once again calls upon the 
Israeli Government and all Israelis to accept the Arab Peace 
Initiative and make use of the chance to resume direct and 
serious negotiations on all fronts. 
 
At the time when Israel should halt its practices in the 
Occupied Territories, especially lifting of the blockade on 
the Palestinian people, halting the establishment of 
settlements, building its wall, conducting excavations in 
Jerusalem, in addition to a return to the status quo ante on 
September 28, 2000, an expanded work team will be formed to 
conduct contacts with the Israeli Government and to consult 
on means of achieving peaceful settlement in accordance with 
a specific time frame. 
 
The work team will present a report of its efforts to the AL 
Secretary General along with proposals for the Arab League's 
 
SIPDIS 
Peace Initiative Committee. 
 
Second:  Political Framework for the Working Team: 
 
-- Assures the Arab States intentions to reach a 
comprehensive and fair peace and end the Arab-Israeli 
conflict in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and the 
principals and basis upon which it is established; 
 
-- Assures the commitment of Arab States to the Arab Peace 
 
CAIRO 00001176  002 OF 002 
 
 
Initiative which calls for a fair settlement and peace with 
Israel, based on international legitimate resolutions and 
principals contained in relevant UN resolutions, Madrid 
Conference references, the principal of land-for-peace and 
not allowing the acquisition of land by force, Roadmap, and 
signed agreements and understandings between concerned 
parties; 
 
-- Calls upon the Israeli Government and all Israelis to 
accept the Arab Peace Initiative and making use of the chance 
to resume direct and serious negotiations on all fronts to 
achieve a peaceful settlement in accordance to a specific 
time frame; 
 
-- Assures that the Arab commitment to achieve a fair and 
comprehensive peace to the Arab-Israeli conflict and the 
establishment of normal relations with Israel within that 
framework, require a parallel commitment by the Israeli 
Government to achieve that peace and take the necessary 
procedures to build trust and start serious negotiations on 
all fronts, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and 
agreed international terms of references related to the peace 
process and to build upon what has been achieved thus far; 
 
Third:  Calls for the holding of an international meeting 
with the participation of regional and international 
concerned parties, to be sponsored by the UN and the 
international Quartet to launch direct negotiations on all 
fronts in accordance with agreed-upon terms of references, 
with a time frame to achieve it. 
 
Fourth:  Calls upon the AL Secretariat to propose to the Arab 
Peace Initiative Committee a list of activities to directly 
address decision makers at universities, institutions, 
research centers, media, and political associations which 
influence decision-making at the regional and the 
international level, to promote the Arab Peace Initiative and 
explain the Arab point of view in order to revive the peace 
process on all fronts.  Arab states are to provide the 
necessary financing (for this effort). 
 
Fifth:  Calls upon the AL Secretary General to coordinate 
these efforts by consulting with the Committee,s Presidency 
and preparing reports for the Committee,s next meeting, to 
evaluate the situation and make proposals for the League,s 
planned emergency ministerial meeting planned for the first 
half of June 2007. 
 
End text. 
RICCIARDONE