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INFO RUEHKL/ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 001466 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL NACB IS LE MY
SUBJECT: OIC RELEASES STATEMENTS ON LEBANON AND PALESTINE 
 
REF: KUALA LUMPUR 1458 
 
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark 
for reasons 1.4 (b, d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) 
released two documents concerning Lebanon and Palestine 
following their August 3 meeting in Putrajaya, Malaysia 
(reftel).  While both documents reiterated old rhetoric 
condemning Israel and predictably called for an immediate 
ceasefire, the conference also adopted Lebanon's Seven Point 
Plan en toto, including the call for the Lebanese government 
and its "legitimate military" to gain full control over its 
territory.  Consensus requirements tempered the one-sided 
documents, and only Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei agreed to 
commit troops to a UN led peacekeeping force.  According to 
one attendee, internal discussion focused on fears that 
public demonstrations would get out of control and that the 
conflict was sowing the seeds of more terrorism.  Although 
Malaysia joined the loud and over the top rhetoric against 
Israel, it also distanced itself and the OIC from 
Ahmadinejad's statements calling for Israel's destruction, 
while the OIC's Palestine statement reaffirmed support for a 
permanent two-state solution.  The OIC's endorsement of the 
seven-point plan, particularly support for extending Lebanese 
government authority over its own land, may open 
opportunities for some common ground with Muslim leaders. 
End Summary. 
 
Mere statements of condemnation 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) At the conclusion of the August 3 Meeting of the 
Friends of the Chair of the 10th Islamic Summit Conference 
(reftel), the OIC released two consensus documents: the 
Putrajaya Declaration on the Situation in Lebanon; and the 
Putrajaya Declaration on the Situation in the Occupied 
Palestinian Territories. Contrary to Malaysian Prime Minister 
Abdullah Badawi's calls to stop "issuing mere statements of 
condemnation for the violence" the meeting and declarations 
did little more. 
 
Declaration on Lebanon 
---------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) The declaration on Lebanon repeated previous calls for 
an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon; unequivocally condemned 
Israel as the aggressor; did not mention Hizbollah; largely 
avoided Abdullah's opening rhetoric of a Middle East plot; 
and wholly endorsed Lebanon's Seven Point Plan rather than 
produce new recommendations for creating peace.  Again, the 
declaration fell far short of Abdullah's call for new 
commitments and action in his opening speech to the Meeting 
of Friends.  There was no general call for OIC members to 
contribute troops to a peacekeeping mission and there were no 
specific pledges of assistance.  The adoption of the Lebanese 
Seven Point Plan was the most balanced statement of the 
conference and called for the Lebanese government to extend 
its authority over its territory through its own legitimate 
armed forces.  An insider on Malaysian Foreign Minister Hamid 
Albar's personal staff admitted to us that the conferees were 
not able to come to a consensus on stronger language in the 
declaration on Lebanon, nor on a pledge to send peacekeeping 
troops to the region, noting as the press did, that only 
Brunei and Indonesia were willing to join Malaysia in 
committing peacekeepers.  He characterized Abdullah's opening 
remarks as strong but the final declarations "were much 
weaker." 
 
A few words on Palestine 
------------------------ 
 
¶4. (C) Similarly, the declaration on the situation in the 
occupied Palestinian territories provided little more than a 
restatement of previous positions.  Predictably, the members 
condemned Israel for its occupation and called for a complete 
and unconditional withdrawal from Gaza and the West Bank, 
including East Jerusalem.  They called for the world to 
accept the outcome of the recent Palestinian elections, and 
endorsed the two-state solution and roadmap for peace. The 
declaration on Palestine was only half the length of the one 
on Lebanon, as Palestine apparently played less on the minds 
of those in attendance.  There were no new ideas or courses 
of action regarding Palestine, and none of the countries in 
attendance made any new pledges of assistance. 
 
Action and reaction 
------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C)  Following the Meeting of Friends, Abdullah held 
bilateral talks with leaders from Iran, Turkey, Bangladesh 
and Pakistan.  Following these encounters, Abdullah advised 
the press that he would send a personal letter to President 
Bush to urge him to use his influence to bring an immediate 
ceasefire.  In addition, he would explain the position of the 
OIC and Malaysia on the crisis in Lebanon.  Malaysia's 
Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar also made a series of media 
appearances to explain the results of the Meeting of Friends. 
Hamid made a point to distance the OIC from Iranian president 
Ahmadinejad's calls for the destruction of Israel, deeming 
those remarks Ahmadinejad's own views and not the position of 
the OIC.   Local newspapers all carried a summary of the 
conference declarations on the front page, and most papers 
headlined feature photos of Abdullah and Ahmadinejad shaking 
hands.  One daily repeated a New York Times editorial that 
called into question Iran's actions and motives related to 
Lebanon. 
 
 
Leaders concerned over the Muslim street 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C)  An Embassy contact at the Pakistani High Commission 
who attended the conference advised us that "all the leaders 
were really concerned about public agitation (connected with 
events in Lebanon) in their home countries."  Many commented 
that "It's getting difficult to control the streets." 
Indonesian President Yudhoyono reportedly made especially 
strong statements in condemnation of Israel and referenced 
the large demonstrations hitting the streets in response to 
Israel's actions in Lebanon.  Our contact further commented 
that nearly all the countries were concerned that "Israel is 
trying to expand the conflict beyond Lebanon to other 
countries in the region." It was further mentioned that other 
OIC members discussed sending peacekeepers to southern 
Lebanon, but only under the auspices of the United Nations, 
and "only if Hizbollah agrees."  Conferees expressed fear 
that the latest conflict was actually "sowing the seeds of 
more terrorism." 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7. (C) The OIC's statement on Lebanon was obviously and 
disappointingly one-sided in tone and condemnation of Israel. 
 However, the seven-point plan, particularly its call for 
Lebanese government to extend its authority over its own 
territory, does not appear to be so far from what we are 
working to achieve.  The OIC's endorsement of the plan may 
open opportunities for some common ground with Muslim leaders. 
LAFLEUR