VZCZCXRO9432
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHEG #4784 2151257
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031257Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0333
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS CAIRO 004784 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL LE EG IS
SUBJECT: TFLE01:  ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL AMRE 
MOUSSA,S STATEMENT TO JOURNALISTS AUGUST 2, 2006 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION:  Arab League (AL) Secretary 
General Amre Moussa issued a statement on August 2 describing 
the conclusions of the meeting of perm reps held earlier in 
the day; the first such meetings since the outbreak of 
hostilities in Lebanon.  In his statement, Moussa said that 
the perm reps had agreed to ask their counterparts at the UN 
to call for an emergency meeting of the UN's Human Rights 
Council.  Moussa also criticized the idea of a new 
international force, claiming that any such force would 
protect Israel, rather than Lebanon.  He said that the Arab 
countries would only agree to Siniora's proposal to support 
the existing international forces.  Moussa also noted that 
the possibility of an Arab Summit still exists.  An informal 
Embassy translation of Moussa's press statement follows.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  Begin text: 
 
In yesterday's emergency meeting, the Arab League Council 
assigned Arab Ambassadors in New York to call for an 
emergency meeting of the UN's Human Rights Council to discuss 
the Israeli offensive on Lebanon and the HR violations 
rendered.  Moussa stated that AL Permanent Delegates assigned 
the Arab Group in New York would call on the Security Council 
to take an immediate decision of cease-fire on Lebanon, 
adding that if the council failed, they will resort to the 
UN,s General Assembly to discuss the crisis.  Moussa stated 
to journalists that the AL council supported Egypt's proposal 
of conducting an immediate international investigation on the 
second Qana massacre that was committed by the Israeli 
destructive forces.  He affirmed that the council criticized 
severely the "disability" of the Security Council to achieve 
ceasefire. 
 
Moussa mentioned that the Council praised the Lebanese 
people's steadfastness that is resisting the Israeli 
invasion, the Lebanese resistance (without naming Hezbollah), 
and the Arab support to the Lebanese people. 
 
On the international will to send international forces to 
South Lebanon or the Syrian-Lebanese borders, Moussa stated 
that we as Arabs agree to the seven points that were 
mentioned in the Lebanese PM's speech at the Rome Conference, 
in addition to the three points addressed by the Lebanese 
Parliament Speaker on the importance of enhancing the 
international force in South Lebanon.  Moussa criticized the 
international demands for sending new international forces 
and added that these forces will be for the protection of 
Israel, the aggressor country, while the forces should be for 
the protection of Lebanon, the aggressed country.  He 
elaborated saying that international multi-force concept is 
not acceptable to Arab countries and they will not implement 
it and noted that they agree only on Siniora's proposal to 
support the existing international forces. 
 
In reply to a question on sending Arab military forces to 
Lebanon, Moussa stated that military support to Lebanon has 
not been discussed by the League's council, adding that the 
current Lebanese resistance is highly praised. 
 
Moussa said that holding an Arab Summit is still possible and 
that the Arab people are waiting for Arab leaders' stance 
towards the current situation.  Moussa stated that some Arab 
countries (naming Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE) have informed 
the League of their financial and humanitarian support to 
Lebanon, adding that they have deposited money in Lebanese 
banks and pledged financial grants to reconstruct Lebanon. 
Moussa reiterated that the problem is not reconstructing 
Lebanon, but rather reaching a ceasefire.  He also condemned 
the American military support to Israel and called for a 
stance against providing Israel with weapons. 
 
Moussa declared that he will conduct an Arab tour beginning 
August 2 starting with Jordan and will then make a trip 
Saturday to Saudi Arabia, Syria and Lebanon to reach an Arab 
stance to support Lebanon and confront aggression. 
End text. 
RICCIARDONE