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Brooke F Adams  09/05/2006 08:56:35 AM  From  DB/Inbox:  ECPO

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
S E C R E T        TRIPOLI 00453

SIPDIS
CXCAIRO:
    ACTION: ECON
    INFO:   FAS DCM AMB AID MGT PA POL IPS FCS

DISSEMINATION: ECON
CHARGE: PROG

VZCZCCRO686
RR RUEHEG
DE RUEHTRO #0453/01 2431502
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 311502Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1140
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 0011
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 1290

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 TRIPOLI 000453 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/ELA, NEA/IPA 
LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  8/28/2016 
TAGS: OREP PREL PTER PGOV LY
SUBJECT: CONGRESSMAN LANTOS STRESSES BILATERAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND 
REGIONAL CHALLENGES WITH LIBYAN OFFICIALS 
 
REF: A) TRIPOLI 11 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Elizabeth Fritschle, Pol/Econ Chief, United 
States Liaison Office, DOS. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Elizabeth Fritschle, Pol/Econ Chief, United 
States Liaison Office, DOS. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) In a series of meetings with senior Libyan officials 
during his August 22-24 trip to Libya, Congressman Tom Lantos, 
ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Relations Committee, 
reviewed bilateral achievements since his first visit to the 
country in January, 2004 and set new goals for enhanced future 
cooperation. The Congressman, accompanied by Charge Berry, House 
International Relations Committee (HIRC) Senior Professional 
Staff Member Alan Makovsky, HIRC Professional Staff Member Mike 
Beard, and Poloff, met with the Libyan Leader Moammar Qadhafi, 
Director of the Qadhafi Development Foundation Seif Al-Islam 
Qadhafi, Libyan Director of Military Intelligence Abdullah 
Sanussi, Director of the External Security Organization Musa 
Kusa, Secretary of the General Peoples Committee for Foreign 
Liaison and International Cooperation (Foreign Minister 
equivalent) Abdurrahman Shalgam, Secretary of American Affairs 
Ahmed Fatouri and Secretary for European Affairs Abdelati Obeidi 
of the General Peoples Committee for Foreign Liaison and 
International Cooperation. The Congressman's trip partially 
overlapped with visit of Senator Arlen Specter (septel) and 
several official meetings were combined. 
 
¶2. (SBU) In all meetings with GOL interlocutors, the Congressman 
stressed that the two major goals that he set in January, 2004 
on his first trip to Libya had been achieved: the removal of 
Libya from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism list and the 
reestablishment of full diplomatic relations. His next goal is 
to increase the number of Libyan students studying in America 
from 150, the present figure, to 6,000 over the next three 
years.  He also emphasized the need of the GOL to enhance its 
image and presence in the United States by either opening 
additional consulates in cities like New York and Los Angeles, 
or establishing honorary consulates.  He used the Saudi Embassy 
in Washington as an example of a country that has successfully 
enhanced its image in America by investing considerable 
financial resources in its Embassy. 
 
THE LEADER, ONCE AGAIN, STRESSES WAHABI EXTREMISM 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
3.(C) On August 22 in his desert encampment on the outskirts of 
Sirte, the Leader of the Revolution Moammar Qadhafi greeted the 
entire delegation, but dedicated the majority of time to an 
hour-long tjte-`-tjte with Representative Lantos focusing on 
Wahabism in Saudi Arabia, which has become one of his standard 
topics.  The leader emphasized his anxiety over the spread of 
religious fundamentalism in the Kingdom, citing a recent 
supposed statement of the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia that Saudi 
students should be barred from attending university in the 
United States.  He also berated the spread of Wahabist thought 
in mosques and schools inside and outside of the Kingdom.  The 
leader urged the US to call for "self determination" for tribal 
groups of Saudi Arabia, who would presumably chose a government 
other than the present monarchy.  Qadhafi also lobbied for 
support of his plan to create "Isratine" as the best solution 
for lasting peace in the Middle East.  He did not bring up any 
aspects of the GOL's bilateral relationship with the US during 
the meeting. 
 
¶4.  (C) Congressman Lantos and Senator Specter were scheduled 
for separate meetings with Qadhafi in Sirte.  While Specter's 
delegation traveled by U.S. military aircraft to Sirte, 
Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the General People's Congress, 
Suleiman Shihumi, chartered a Air Libya plane from Mitiga 
International Airport for the Lantos delegation.  Shihumi 
greeted Lantos warmly, facilitated the Qadhafi meeting, and 
arranged for a official banquet with General Peoples Committee 
delegates from the Sirte region.  During the one-hour flight, an 
Egyptian movie entitled "The Leader" starring screen favorite 
Adel Imam was shown to the delegation and Libyan protocol 
officers.  Security personnel and a local translator confirmed 
that many of the jokes in the movie, that obviously make fun of 
a Middle Eastern dictator, could be aimed at Qadhafi or Mubarak, 
including a scene showing disregard for members of the cabinet. 
(Embassy Ccomment:  It is unclear if this was to show that the 
leader does in fact have a sense of humor about his monopoly on 
political power, or that a certain degree of toleration exists 
in Libya, or that the Libyans love a movie that pokes fun at 
Egyptian politics -- if in fact the Libyans intended any message 
at all.  End Comment.) 
 
CONCERNS OVER SAUDI WAHABISM AS SOURCE OF EXTREMISM AND 
TERRORISM REITERATED 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
----------------- 
 
¶5. (S) Libyan Director of Military Intelligence Abdullah Sanussi 
held a joint meeting with Congressman Lantos and Senator Specter 
on August 23, calling for increased cooperation in all aspects 
of our relationship, specifically technology and knowledge 
transfer.  In a theme similar to Representative Lantos' last 
meeting with Sanussi (ref A), he reiterated the leader's deep 
concern with Wahabism and the Saudi government's purported link 
to Al-Qaeda.  Sanussi stated that after 9/11, the GOL was 
perplexed by US behavior as they expected a "judgment day" for 
Saudi Arabia, home to a majority of the highjackers, not an 
invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. Sanussi also took credit for 
the GOL putting Osama bin Laden on an Interpol watch list in 
1997, showing that they had an inkling of events to come far in 
advance of 9/11. 
 
¶6. (S) When Senator Specter pressed Sanussi for solid proof 
linking Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden to the Saudi government, 
Sanussi orchestrated a subsequent meeting between Congressman 
Lantos and Mohamed Ismail, the Libyan national who was 
imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for 10 months and charged with a plot 
to assassinate then Crown Prince Abdallah.  Ismail, who speaks 
fluent English, is the son of a former Libyan diplomat, and was 
educated abroad.  For several years, he worked at Seif 
Al-Islam's Qadhafi Development Foundation, on various projects 
such as negotiating the release of western hostages in the 
Philippines.  Ismail claimed that he worked closely with Saudi 
opposition groups in London who tried to "create a free radio 
station in Saudi Arabia" but was arrested on trumped up charges. 
 Ismail talked at length about "specialized treatment" that 
Wahabi detainees receive in Saudi prisons, claiming that they 
receive cash, and are being recruited to fight in Iraq. 
(Embassy Comment:  Embassy notes that testimony in a US court 
differs considerably from this Libyan version of events.  End 
Comment.) 
 
 
SENIOR OFFICIALS GIVE OPINIONS ON NEW EMBASSY COMPOUND 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶7. (C) In meetings with Faturi, Obeidi, and FM Shalgam on August 
23, Representative Lantos continuously pressed on the theme of a 
need for a secure, efficient US Embassy chancery, calling the 
lack of an Embassy his "biggest disappointment" with the state 
of our current relationship, especially because it impedes the 
issuance of visas.  He stressed the need for "land with a clear 
title," adding his hopes for the Libyan Embassy in Washington to 
increase in size and scope.  Shalgam expressed concern over 
proposed NEC sites because they are "such a long drive from 
downtown," instead arguing that a more proper place is the 
"Shaat Club" located in downtown. (The British, Italian, 
Turkish, and Egyptian Embassies are located in this area near 
the waterfront).  In a separate meeting, ESO Chief Kusa echoed 
Shalgam's worries, asserting that the proposed NEC site in 
Farjan is "too open and vulnerable to attack.  You should listen 
to my advice.  Anyone could attack and run away".  Kusa also 
argued for the idea of opening up a new Embassy in the Shaat 
Club area and was not keen on the idea of an entirely new 
Embassy compound.  Per septel, Qadhafi expressed similar 
concerns over U.S. plans to build a large NEC. 
 
REGIONAL EVENTS -- VIEWS EXCHANGED ON HIZBALLAH AND LEBANON 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶8. (C) Regional events in Lebanon and Israel accounted for much 
of the conversation in meetings with GOL interlocutors.  Sanussi 
called Israel's "excessive reaction" to Hizballah attacks "the 
reason Nasrallah is a hero in the eyes of the people." Shalgam 
stressed that people in the region were "very impressed" with 
Hizballah's ability to withhold Israeli military might for 32 
days.  He also warned that in order for the cease fire to last, 
European nations must be willing to send more troops.  Lantos 
stressed that Hizballah has the intent of destroying Israel and 
that the force employed by the Israeli army equaled the threat 
of Hizballah to the nation of Israel.  Throughout his meetings, 
he repeatedly used the analogy that if a rebel force was 
operating out of Canada and threatened US security, we would 
clearly use heavy force in combating that threat. 
 
IRAN MODEL VS LIBYA MODEL 
------------------------- 
 
¶9. (S) In an August 24 meeting with Director of External 
Security Musa Kusa, Lantos called the difference between Iran 
and Libya "monumental" and predicted that books will be written 
about the historic decision Qadhafi took in giving up its WMDs. 
While Kusa seemed to agree, he expressed worry over the 
imbalance that was created with the changes in Iraq, tipping the 
scales towards Iran.  "Iran and Iraq used to balance each other 
out...now, there is no balance." He said the Libyans were "sure 
that the Iranians are enriching uranium and making a bomb," 
adding that events in Lebanon are really just an "Iranian-Syrian 
game".  He also expressed a concern about the estimated 300 
Libyans aiding the insurgency in Iraq:  "We can't control our 
own children.  We are doing our best, but we uncover a new cell 
everyday." 

SOMALIA FALLING TO EXTREMISTS 
----------------------------- 
 
¶10. (C) Both Sanussi and Shalgam expressed a growing concern 
with the deteriorating state of affairs in Somalia.  Sanussi 
said that the Taliban is running Somalia and in a short while, 
it is bound to become another Afghanistan.  Shalgam worried that 
Somalia is being hurled "back into the Middle Ages" by the 
current leadership and that the younger generation there is 
easily seduced by Muslim extremists:  "We won't be able to 
convince younger generation that their leadership is wrong." 
 
MUBARAK NOT PLEASED WITH YOUNG QADHAFI'S SPEECH 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶11. (C) Congressman Lantos began a meeting with Seif Al-Islam 
Qadhafi, director of the Qadhafi Development Foundation, by 
congratulating him on his speech earlier in the week that called 
for significant political and economic reform, including 
enhanced freedom of the press. "I am very proud of your speech," 
Lantos said of the two-hour monologue which was broadcast on 
every radio and television station in the country.  Seif 
immediately noted that President Mubarak of Egypt called his 
father, the leader, to express his displeasure with the speech, 
saying it called for "too much change and too much freedom" and 
warning that the country should be more conservative in its 
approach to change.  Seif claimed he does not know what his 
father's reply to Mubarak was.  (Embassy Comment: Since the 
speech was broadcast widely on state-run media, it must have at 
least had the tacit blessing of the leader. End Comment).  Seif 
added that the speech took about two or three years to develop 
and hinted that there may be another forthcoming speech, 
focusing more on politics and the  creation of a constitution. 
He added that he intends to "close all pending human rights 
cases and start a new beginning for the country." 
 
¶12. (S) Seif, who took a passive role during most of the 
meeting, then queried Lantos about Iran, stating that the 
Iranians are telling the GOL that "the Americans are playing a 
game with you" and will refuse allow replacement of Libya's SCUD 
missiles, instead stripping the GOL of its weaponry.  "They have 
told us that the Americans will let us down."  Representative 
Lantos countered that those assertions are untrue and that the 
USG truly appreciates what the GOL has done in abandoning its 
WMD program.  Seif then asked about the disarmament of 
Hizballah, which Lantos replied is a "must" as all countries 
must be in control of their own borders: "Nasrallah has set the 
development of Lebanon back years."  Lantos invited Seif to join 
him on his next trip to North Korea to share Libya's story of 
giving up WMDs, a "major gesture for peace globally." 
 
US BUSINESS REPS TALK OIL AND VISAS 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶13. (SBU) Congressman Lantos and Senator Specter met with U.S. 
business leaders on August 23 representing Amerada Hess, 
Marathon Oil, Exxon-Mobil, Chevron-Texaco, Conoco-Philipps, and 
Occidental. The businessmen expressed optimism about increasing 
oil output in the coming years in Libya, but were frustrated by 
continued visa challenges. They cited the initial optimism that 
existed when bilateral relations were restored, but difficulties 
both in obtaining visas for Americans to come to Libya and in 
sending local and third country national employees to the United 
States have dampened that feeling to some degree.  Still, on the 
big picture issues like personal security and government 
corruption, they see Libya as offering a relatively favorable 
operating environment compared to their counterparts working in 
Nigeria, Indonesia, Colombia and other oil-production states. 
 
¶14. (SBU) Congressman Lantos and Senator Specter did not clear 
this cable before departing Tripoli. 
BERRY