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FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9648
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TUNIS 000223 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG - LAWRENCE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2016 
TAGS: PREL ASEC PTER TS
SUBJECT: ARAB INTERIOR MINISTERS JANUARY 30-31 MEETING 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR WILLIAM HUDSON FOR REASONS 1.5 (b) AND (d) 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. The 23rd session of the Arab League 
Interior Ministers took place in Tunisia on January 30 and 
¶31.  According to press reports, ministers examined the 
security situations in Arab countries and discussed ways of 
combating terrorism, extremism, violence and organized 
crimes.  Participants condemned terrorism in all its forms 
and expressed their determination to reinforce cooperation in 
information sharing and financial crimes. The group also 
specifically criticized the role of the Internet and 
satellite television in spreading hatred and encouraging 
terrorism. Ministers criticized the recent publication of 
caricatures of the prophet Mohammed in the European press. 
The Ministers' council also invited all ministers to support 
police forces in Iraq, Lebanon and Somalia. The local press 
carried statements from the Iraqi, Syrian and Sudanese 
ministers who attended. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) In addition to Arab Interior ministers and other 
security officials, the session was also attended by Arab 
League Secretary General Amr Moussa (who also spoke at the 
January 30 Dialogue on Civilizations conference, held in 
Tunis under the auspices of the Islamic Educational, 
Scientific and Cultural Organization), Secretary General of 
the Organization of Islamic Conference Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, 
UN Deputy Secretary General for Safety and Security David 
Veness, GCC Secretary General Abderrahman Bin Hamad al-Attiya 
and Secretary General of the Arab Interior Ministers Council 
Mohamed Ibn Ali Koumane.  In seperate meetings, Tunisian 
President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali met with Saudi Interior 
Minister Prince Nayef ben Abdelaziz (currently the honorary 
president of the council of Arab interior ministers) and Arab 
League SYG Moussa. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In the final statement, the participants expressed 
their total condemnation of terrorism "in all its forms, 
ways, reasons and justifications," while calling for a new 
anti-terrorism law that would apply to all Arab states. They 
called on all those working in the political, cultural, 
religious, security and press fields to coordinate their 
efforts to combat terrorism.  The ministers also expressed 
their determination to reinforce their cooperation in 
security by exchanging experiences and information, blocking 
financial resources for terrorism and depriving terrorists of 
shelter in any country under any cover. They also rejected 
the connection between Islam and terrorism and expressed 
their support for the holding of an international summit on 
terrorism under the auspices of the United Nations. 
 
¶4. (C) Ministers also called for the banning of the use of 
the Internet for spreading the culture of hatred among 
nations and religions. Additionally, they called for new 
legislation that would allow for the blocking of Internet 
sites that incite terrorism and explain bomb production. 
(NOTE: While perhaps valuable for security purposes, the GOT, 
for one, often exploits this logic to block local and 
international websites that criticize the government. END 
NOTE.) 
 
¶5. (C) Local security contacts reported that the group 
discussed at length the possible impact of the recent 
publication in a Danish newspaper of inflammatory caricatures 
of the prophet Mohammed on security in Europe and the region. 
 Press reports noted the ministers' condemnation of the 
publication of these caricatures and called on the Danish 
government to punish those who were responsible.  Some 
ministers were reported as saying the caricatures represented 
an attack on all Muslims.  It was also reported that Saudi 
Interior Minister Prince Nayef encouraged other Arab nations 
to withdraw their ambassadors from Denmark, as Saudi Arabia 
and some other Arab countries had. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Jabr Solagh told the 
local Arabic newspaper as-Sabah that 4,000 members of the 
Iraqi security forces have been killed in the past three 
years and double the number of volunteers.  Speaking about 
the Hamas victory in the Palestinian elections, the minister 
said that the democracy that started in Iraq must spread to 
other countries in the region. He added, "We have to accept 
the rules of the game and work with the Palestinian people's 
choice." 
 
¶7. (SBU) Syrian Justice Minister Mohamed al-Ghafari told the 
local press that "the campaign against Syria has surpassed 
Syria alone and now touches every Arab country." He was also 
reported to have said that Syria has cooperated with the 
international investigation into the assassination of former 
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and that Syria welcomed 
Arab mediation, and support, in this matter.   He added that 
he had not met with Lebanese minister Hassan al-Saba, while 
 
TUNIS 00000223  002 OF 002 
 
 
al-Saba was quoted as saying that his country was awaiting 
the results of the investigation to determine who was 
responsible. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Separately, Sudanese Interior Minister Zubeir Bashir 
Taha, who was participating in this meeting for the first 
time, told the local paper ash-Shourouq that "Our sovereignty 
is a red line for all." He went on to say that African Union 
(AU) forces in Darfur do not have a hidden agenda and they 
are capable of maintaining security.  Taha also expressed his 
satisfaction with the recent AU summit in Khartoum, saying 
"we were pleased with the subjects raised" (i.e. education, 
Security Council representation, African debt). Regarding the 
withdrawal of Sudan from the AU presidential contest, Taha 
said that "Major international players who have special 
interests in the geological resources of Darfur created this 
problem to provide a justification for getting closer to 
these resources." 
HUDSON