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RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHJS RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHTRO
DE RUEHIL #1811/01 1330922
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120922Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6880
INFO RUEHIC/OIC COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 8553
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 7874
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3230
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 9701
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 5446
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 4185
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 001811 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PK PREL
SUBJECT: OIC ENVOY SADA CUMBER'S VISIT TO PAKISTAN 
 
ISLAMABAD 00001811  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  In meetings May 2 with the Minister of 
Foreign Affairs, the General Coordinator of the Organization 
of Islamic Conference (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific 
and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), the Chairman of the 
Council of Islamic Ideology, journalists, religious leaders 
and scholars, the U.S. Special Envoy to the Organization of 
the Islamic Conference (OIC), Sada Cumber, explained his 
mandate, briefed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 
outlining U.S. cooperation with the OIC in the areas of 
science and technology, education, and the advancement of 
women, and vigorously defended the freedoms of American 
Muslims to worship and thrive in U.S. society. End summary. 
 
 
Freedom of Speech 
----------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Accompanied by Acting DCM, U.S. Special Envoy to the 
OIC, Sada Cumber, briefed Minister of Foreign Affairs Shah 
Mahmood Qureshi and Additional Secretary for the United 
Nations Desk, Khalid Aziz Babar, on his initiatives to bring 
better cooperation between the OIC and the U.S. through his 
appointment.  In addition, he presented to Qureshi a 
memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the U.S. and the 
OIC, focusing on science and technology, education, and the 
advancement of women.  Both Qureshi and Babar expressed 
gratitude to the USG for appointing Cumber to this position; 
however, they noted that the majority of the Pakistan 
population failed to appreciate the USG insistence in 
protecting free speech in the face of media (Danish cartoons 
or the Dutch video) that were seen as insults to Islam. The 
Envoy said that he too was offended by these "bigoted" 
attacks on his faith, but the fact remained that this kind of 
speech should not be punishable just because it offends. 
 
Advancing Science and Technology 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU)  The Envoy met with Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, the 
Coordinator General of the OIC's Islamabad-based COMSTECH, 
the OIC standing committee that coordinates science and 
technology programs among the OIC member countries.  Rahman 
reported that COMSTECH was currently working on 130 projects 
in 27 member countries, primarily focusing, at this time, on 
training for science policy officials.  Cumber stressed that 
the COMSTECH projects needed to focus on the grassroots 
promotion of innovation and promote long-term 
commercialization. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Cumber explained that he had briefed his draft MOU 
to OIC authorities in Jeddah but was frustrated at the lack 
of interest he received.  Enthusiastic about COMSTECH 
cooperation with the U.S., Rahman suggested that COMSTECH 
sign the MOU while the entire OIC continued to consider it. 
Delighted, Cumber asked how quickly COMSTECH could make a 
decision; Rahman promised to review the draft MOU and respond 
to Cumber by May 8.  Rahman expressed an interested in joint 
projects be created to benefit the OIC members to include 
agriculture research and water management.  Rahman noted that 
U.S. funding could also be used to augment national 
innovation funds, financial commitments made by separate OIC 
countries for the development of science and technology.  The 
Envoy said that the OIC planned to develop digital libraries 
in the ten poorest OIC countries in an attempt to assist them 
economically and was responsive to Rahman's offer to sign the 
Envoy's MOU with the U.S. on behalf of COMSTECH. 
 
Other Pakistan Engagements 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) In a meeting with Dr. Khalid Mahsood, the Chairman 
of the Council of Islamic Ideology (the government entity 
that examines whether the laws of Pakistan are in accordance 
with Islamic law), the Envoy explained that the U.S. model of 
how Muslims interact should be replicated world wide.  Cumber 
noted that unlike the current trend in other parts of the 
Muslim world, no one ever asks whether a Muslim in the U.S. 
is a Sunni or Shi'a because it did not matter.  Dr. Khalid 
appreciated the U.S. Muslim model and opined that it should 
be showcased to a wider audience.  He also noted that the 
Council was currently working on a global model of Muslim 
 
ISLAMABAD 00001811  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
family law that embraced this ideal of unity. However, Dr. 
Khalid also pointed out that the perception of the U.S. 
currently was negative in Pakistan.  Cumber also invited Dr. 
Khalid and the other Council members, who will be traveling 
to the U.S. in mid-June on an International Visitor Program, 
to accompany him in a series of briefings to work on better 
methods of inter-faith dialogue. 
 
¶6. (SBU) At both the roundtable with the journalists and at 
the inter-faith dinner, the Envoy asked the respective 
attendees on how the USG could return to the days in the 
Muslim world, notably Pakistan, where the U.S. could proudly 
display its name on the services that it has provided without 
fear of retaliation.  Media representatives suggested the 
U.S. talk to the common man and not just the national and 
provincial leadership.  By discussing the amount of USG 
resources going into Pakistan, the negative perception will 
change and the "USA label" can be attached to a project or 
funding initiative once again.  Attendees at the inter-faith 
dinner described a lack of transparency in where the foreign 
funding is actually goes is preventing the Pakistan citizenry 
from fully embracing the U.S. projects. Many people see the 
money as just going into the pockets of the leadership. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The National Art Gallery was honored to have the 
Envoy open a new exhibit, entitled "Building Islam in 
Detroit" which showcased the growing Muslim population in the 
Michigan city and how the culture has blossomed in the art, 
music, and architecture produced. 
 
¶8. (U) This message has been cleared by Special Envoy Sada 
Cumber. 
PATTERSON