VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHFR #7788 3481011
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141011Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3783

UNCLAS PARIS 007788 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: FR PGOV PHUM SCUL
SUBJECT: LILLE INSTITUTE CONCEIVED TO PROMULGATE MODERATE 
ISLAM AND INTERFAITH DIALOGUE 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  APP Lille Consul and Embassy Poloff 
called November 29 on Mohamed Bechari, Chairman of the 
recently inaugurated Institut Avicenne des Sciences Humaines 
(IASH), a multi-disciplinary private educational 
establishment devoted to the study of Islamic theology, 
history and the Arabic language.  Mr. Bechari discussed his 
vision of an establishment that would provide an alternative, 
moderate view of Islam to Muslims living in France and French 
society at large.  He also hoped the IASH would serve as an 
interfaith forum for the exchange of ideas and perspectives. 
APP Consul emphasized our interest in working with moderate 
Islamic institutions, discussed the possibility of Embassy 
speakers addressing the students and faculty of IASH, and 
highlighted the Embassy,s International Visitor (IVLP) 
program as a means of promoting ongoing dialogue.  End Summary 
 
¶2.  (SBU) APP Lille Consul and Embassy Poloff called on 
Mohamed Bechari, Chairman of the newly inaugurated Institut 
Avicenne des Sciences Humaines (IASH), on November 29.  After 
a tour of the recently renovated physical plant, Mr. Bechari 
expressed his hope that the institute would represent and 
reinforce a more moderate Islam, able to live peacefully 
among other religious faiths in France,s multicultural 
society.  According to Bechari, "(The Institute) will 
represent the historical richness of humanistic Arab thought, 
before the large ideological ditch of modern times." 
 
¶3.  (SBU) To that end, Bechari explained that the IASH would 
provide professional training for imams and chaplains as well 
as social science curricula, including programs in Arabic, 
Muslim civilization, and sociology.  "The first post-9/11 
casualty was the Muslim faith," said Bechari.  "Islam is a 
religion of peace...We must cease proclaiming meaningless 
expressions, like 'the clash of civilizations' and 
'intercultural dialogue', which lead us down blind alleys if 
they are not clarified and reinforced through action."  The 
IASH has received assistance from the city of Lille and lists 
among its "foreign partners" institutions in Algeria, Egypt, 
Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Turkey, and Yemen. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The IASH,s moderate agenda has won it the support 
of some in the larger religious community.  Monsignor Defois, 
Catholic Bishop of Lille and member of the institute,s 
advisory committee, commented during the inauguration 
ceremony that "Islam is a part of our European roots.  I hope 
that we explore those roots together in order to establish a 
shared philosophical foundation." 
 
¶5.  (SBU) At the time of its inauguration in late November, 
the IASH had 80 enrolled students, many of whom were already 
college educated and planned to undertake their studies in 
addition to continuing full-time jobs.  APP Lille Consul told 
Bechari that the USG was eager to maintain contact, 
mentioning specifically the prospect of Embassy speakers 
addressing IASH faculty and students and describing the 
Embassy,s International Visitor program as an exchange 
option.  Bechari thanked the Consul and added that he would 
like to reciprocate, inviting Americans to spend time with 
the Muslim community he planned to establish at IASH. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Comment and bio note:  Bechari, born in 1967 in 
Oujda, Morocco, is the President of the Federation of the 
Muslims of France (FNMF), a prominent national group 
affiliated with Morocco.  In September of 2004, Bechari, then 
also serving as a Vice-President of the French Council of 
Muslim Worship (CFCM), France,s most prominent national 
Muslim group, had controversial meetings with the Lebanese 
Shiite spiritual leader of Hezbollah, Sheik Fadlallah, and 
the former leader of the Islamic Salvation Front, Algerian 
Islamist Abassi Madani.  The second meeting, in particular, 
"shocked" the CFCM chairman and rector of the Grand Mosque of 
Paris, Dalil Boubakeur, revealing the tensions among the 
various Muslim groups within the CFCM and highlighting the 
difficulty that any single entity has in representing the 
spectrum of France,s five million plus Muslims. 
 
 
 
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm 
STAPLETON