VZCZCXYZ0013
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAS #1376/01 2051624
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241624Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1665
INFO RUEHXX/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS ALGIERS 001376 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL LE IS AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIAN COMMITTEE OF SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT FOR 
THE PALESTINIAN AND LEBANESE PEOPLES PRESENTS PETITION TO 
CHARGE D'AFFAIRES 
 
 
U.S. POSITION INCONSISTENT WITH U.S. 
SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶1.  Vice President of the Conseil de la Nation (Senate) Zohra 
Bitat; Senator Saida Benhabyles; Female Executives NGO 
President Aicha Kouadri; and General Union of Students 
President Nabil Yahoui called July 24 on the Charge 
d'Affaires to present a petition calling on the United States 
to take steps to stop the ongoing bloodshed in the Middle 
East.  Bitat told Charge, who was accompanied by PolEc Chief, 
that the delegation represented the Algerian people through a 
collaborative effort of different civic groups and 
associations.  Expressing their respect for the great 
democracy that is the United States, the signers of the 
petition asked Charge to pass their message directly to 
President Bush.  The delegation noted that it shared a copy 
of the petition with the International Federation of Human 
Rights, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International. 
 
¶2.  The delegation told Charge that the Algerian people 
understood from their own history the barbaric consequences 
of terrorism.  The Algerian people, being frank and open, 
could not remain silent in face of the events they see 
unfolding on their television screens.  Knowing that the U.S. 
is a country that respects human rights and supports freedom 
and justice around the world, the supporters of the petition 
wanted the U.S. leadership to understand that Algerians were 
shocked by U.S. weapons deliveries to Israel and very 
frustrated by a U.S. response that was perceived in Algeria 
as inconsistent with U.S. support for freedom, democracy, and 
human rights. 
 
U.S. SEEKS DURABLE PEACE; NOT RETURN TO STATUS QUO 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3.  Charge thanked the delegation for coming and said the 
Embassy appreciated receiving the views of civil society. 
Charge noted that we understood the GOA position in favor of 
an immediate cease-fire from the media but, for whatever 
reason, the Embassy had not been called to the MFA for a 
face-to-face exchange of views on the current situation in 
Lebanon.  Charge said he would be pleased to transmit the 
concerns of the Algerian people represented in this meeting 
to the Department of State and the White House.  Charge noted 
that Secretary Rice had just arrived in Beirut for meetings 
with Lebanese officials and would later travel to Israel and 
the Palestinian Authority for meetings with Prime Minister 
Olmert and President Abbas.  The Secretary looked forward to 
discussing with representatives of the international 
community a way out of the current situation, but the U.S. 
sought a cease-fire as a platform for a durable peace and not 
as a return to the status quo. 
 
¶4.  Charge said Hizballah had attacked Israel from southern 
Lebanon without direct cause.  Noting that Israel had 
withdrawn fully from Lebanon in 2000 based on borders 
established by the UN, any Hizballah attacks following 
Israel's withdrawal could not be termed "resistance." 
Lebanon had yet to implement UNSC Resolution 1559 calling for 
Hizballah to disarm and the Lebanese Army to deploy to the 
southern border.  Even though Hizballah was part of the 
Lebanese political system, it could not usurp the role of the 
Lebanese Government and plunge Lebanon and its people into 
war.  The U.S. regretted very much the loss of innocent life 
in Lebanon, especially the lives of children.  Charge then 
provided the delegation with English-language copies of the 
G-8 leaders' statement from their recent meetings in St. 
Petersburg on the situation.  Charge pointed out that the G-8 
held Hizballah responsible as the cause of the current 
conflict but sought a durable solution to bring peace and 
security to the region over the longer term. 
 
ALGERIANS OPPOSE ISLAMIC-INSPIRED VIOLENCE; 
ISRAELI OVER-REACTION FUELING SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶5.  Yahoui offered that the principal problem was the 
disproportionate response of Israel.  Algerians understood 
that Hizballah was a terrorist group whose motives were not 
pure.  Algerians did not support Hizballah and opposed 
Islamist-inspired violence.  What concerned Algerians most, 
said Kouadri, was the potential for Arab youth to become 
radicalized and more supportive of terrorist violence because 
of Israel's over-reaction.  That over-reaction was fueling 
support for terrorists, especially among the young.  The 
Algerians also wanted the U.S. not to forget about UNSCR 242, 
which seemed no longer to be a U.S. priority.  Charge 
responded that we wanted to stop the violence and promote a 
better life for people of the region based on the precepts of 
 
 
UNSCR 242 and land for peace.  Charge said progress toward a 
lasting settlement was complicated by the actions of 
non-state actors such as Hizballah.  If Israel is to be 
enticed to withdraw from territory, the abandoned territory 
cannot serve as a launching pad for more attacks. 
 
KEEPING THE DIALOGUE GOING 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6.  The Algerian interlocutors closed by reminding Charge 
their intent was to be frank and sincere and that they meant 
no disrespect to the U.S.  In response, Charge said we 
welcomed the opinions of civil society.  This was a basic 
tenet of democracy and one that the U.S. promoted in the 
region and elsewhere.  Referring to the progress in advancing 
U.S.-Algerian relations over the past three years under 
Ambassador Erdman, Charge said he hoped the progress would 
continue.  He reiterated his intent to transmit the message 
to Washington officials and the U.S. desire for a just, 
comprehensive, and lasting peace in the region. 
 
 
SIEVERS