VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #0596/01 0861508
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261508Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8672

UNCLAS CAIRO 000596 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ELA, PRM (NUTZMAN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PREF EG IR
SUBJECT: IRAQI REFUGEES: AMBASSADOR FOLEY ASKS ARAB LEAGUE TO 
CONSIDER BURDEN-SHARING 
 
Sensitive but unclassified, not for Internet distribution. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Senior Coordinator for Iraqi Refugee Issues James 
Foley pressed Arab League Chief of Staff Hisham Youssef on March 24 
for Arab League member states to pledge financial commitments for 
Iraqi refugees at the March 29 Arab League Summit in Damascus.  He 
noted that refugees, particularly in Syria and Jordan, are facing 
worsening conditions and could pose stability issues for the hosting 
countries, Iraq itself and the entire region.  Youssef replied that 
Gulf countries, specifically Kuwait and the UAE, are ready to 
provide funds, but are waiting for the Iraqi government to do so 
first.  Youssef noted Foley's suggestion of encouraging Gulf 
countries to announce "matching" pledges - conditional on 
commensurate pledges from the GOI - as a point of pressure.  Youssef 
reported that the Arab League has an initiative to provide funding 
for education and health services for Iraqi refugees, and that 
resettlement of 2000 Palestinians from Iraq to Sudan was delayed due 
to Sudanese "exaggeration" of the costs involved.  End summary. 
 
Foley Presses For Arab Pledges 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) Senior Coordinator for Iraqi Refugee Issues James Foley met 
with Arab League Chief of Staff Hisham Youssef on March 24 to push 
for Arab League member states pledges of financial support to Iraqi 
refugees at the March 29 Arab League Summit in Damascus.  Ambassador 
Foley underscored that the almost two million refugees, mostly 
middle class Iraqis currently in Syria and Jordan, are depleting 
their savings and face a growing financial burden, causing social 
problems such as prostitution and child labor.  He noted that, if 
unchecked, this trend could pose stability issues for host 
countries, Iraq itself, and the entire region.  Although the number 
of refugees is not growing, as countries have closed their borders 
to new cases, current refugees are in dire need of assistance. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Foley pointed out that the U.S. has contributed USD 200 
million out of the total of USD 900 million in UNHCR, ICRC and other 
appeals for Iraqi refugees, but that except for USD 10 million from 
the UAE, the Arab world has contributed very little.  He said that 
he would be seeking more funds from Gulf states and from Iraq itself 
in his trip during the coming week.  In particular, the GOI should 
give more than the USD 25 million it has pledged for its neighbors 
for refugee assistance.  Foley noted that he would also be seeking 
assistance from the EU and European governments, but that there is a 
growing false perception among Europeans that Iraqi refugees' needs 
are being adequately met. 
 
Gulf Arabs Ready, But Waiting For Iraqi Leadership 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Youssef responded that Iraqi refugees will be discussed at 
the Arab Summit but downplayed expectations.  He said that Gulf Arab 
states, in particular Kuwait and the UAE, are already poised to make 
substantial contributions, but are waiting for the GOI to lead by 
example.  He was concerned that Foley planned to visit the Gulf 
prior to Iraq in Foley's upcoming trip, as the Gulf countries were 
not prepared to contribute without firm commitments from the GOI to 
also do so.  He also confirmed that the prevailing view among Arab 
publics was that Iraqi refugees are not in need (given GoI 
resources), particularly when compared to Palestinians and 
Darfurians, and that requests for contributions often fell on deaf 
ears. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Foley countered that the USG would seek commitments from 
the Gulf as leverage to obtain movement from the GOI.  He suggested 
the Arab League support the idea of "matching" pledges - where Gulf 
or other member states would announce substantial pledges at the 
Arab Summit conditional on commensurate pledges from Baghdad - to 
put the GOI on the spot. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Youssef was interested in the idea, but said that the GOI 
"is not serious" about the refugee issue and noted that Iraqi Prime 
Minister Maliki remains the key person to convince.  Youssef 
commented sympathetically that Maliki - who will not be attending 
the Arab Summit - faces "bigger problems" at home.  However, he said 
that the Iraqi Foreign Minister had admitted that the previously 
pledged USD 25 million for Iraq's neighbors was not enough - indeed 
Jordan had refused its USD 8 million as not even worthwhile given 
its "USD 2 billion" in expenditures on Iraqi refugees.  The Foreign 
Minister pledged on a separate occasion only an additional USD 
25,000 from Iraqi MFA available funds, Youssef said, an insulting 
offer greatly exceeded by one Saudi woman who privately pledged USD 
100 thousand. 
 
Arab League Working On Alleviating Social Ills 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶7. (SBU) Youssef said that the Arab League is attempting to support 
health care and education for Iraqi refugees in Syria, Jordan, and 
 
Egypt, with funding particularly from Gulf states.  The Syrians have 
expressed growing alarm over increasing social ills among Iraqi 
refugees, he explained, and are particularly keen as Iraqi refugees 
have increased Syria's population by a full ten percent. 
 
Delays in Resettling Palestinians from Iraq to Sudan 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Youssef reported a delay in resettling 2000 Palestinians 
from Iraq to Sudan, as the Sudanese government had "exaggerated" the 
costs, requiring the Arab League to make an independent assessment 
of costs before moving forward.  Youssef mentioned a separate effort 
to resettle some additional Palestinians in Iraq to Yemen (NFI). 
Foley also encouraged Youssef to press the Syrians to accept 300 
Palestinians in the border camp of "Al Hul" into Syria. 
 
¶9. (U) Ambassador Foley cleared this message. 
RICCIARDONE