Cablegate: Tfle01: Arab League Secretary General Amre

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PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHEG #4784 2151257
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031257Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0333
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS CAIRO 004784

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL LE EG IS
SUBJECT: TFLE01: ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL AMRE
MOUSSA,S STATEMENT TO JOURNALISTS AUGUST 2, 2006

1. SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION: Arab League (AL) Secretary
General Amre Moussa issued a statement on August 2 describing
the conclusions of the meeting of perm reps held earlier in
the day; the first such meetings since the outbreak of
hostilities in Lebanon. In his statement, Moussa said that
the perm reps had agreed to ask their counterparts at the UN
to call for an emergency meeting of the UN's Human Rights
Council. Moussa also criticized the idea of a new
international force, claiming that any such force would
protect Israel, rather than Lebanon. He said that the Arab
countries would only agree to Siniora's proposal to support
the existing international forces. Moussa also noted that
the possibility of an Arab Summit still exists. An informal
Embassy translation of Moussa's press statement follows. END
SUMMARY.

2. Begin text:

In yesterday's emergency meeting, the Arab League Council
assigned Arab Ambassadors in New York to call for an
emergency meeting of the UN's Human Rights Council to discuss
the Israeli offensive on Lebanon and the HR violations
rendered. Moussa stated that AL Permanent Delegates assigned
the Arab Group in New York would call on the Security Council
to take an immediate decision of cease-fire on Lebanon,
adding that if the council failed, they will resort to the
UN,s General Assembly to discuss the crisis. Moussa stated
to journalists that the AL council supported Egypt's proposal
of conducting an immediate international investigation on the
second Qana massacre that was committed by the Israeli
destructive forces. He affirmed that the council criticized
severely the "disability" of the Security Council to achieve
ceasefire.

Moussa mentioned that the Council praised the Lebanese
people's steadfastness that is resisting the Israeli
invasion, the Lebanese resistance (without naming Hezbollah),
and the Arab support to the Lebanese people.

On the international will to send international forces to
South Lebanon or the Syrian-Lebanese borders, Moussa stated
that we as Arabs agree to the seven points that were
mentioned in the Lebanese PM's speech at the Rome Conference,
in addition to the three points addressed by the Lebanese
Parliament Speaker on the importance of enhancing the
international force in South Lebanon. Moussa criticized the
international demands for sending new international forces
and added that these forces will be for the protection of
Israel, the aggressor country, while the forces should be for
the protection of Lebanon, the aggressed country. He
elaborated saying that international multi-force concept is
not acceptable to Arab countries and they will not implement
it and noted that they agree only on Siniora's proposal to
support the existing international forces.

In reply to a question on sending Arab military forces to
Lebanon, Moussa stated that military support to Lebanon has
not been discussed by the League's council, adding that the
current Lebanese resistance is highly praised.

Moussa said that holding an Arab Summit is still possible and
that the Arab people are waiting for Arab leaders' stance
towards the current situation. Moussa stated that some Arab
countries (naming Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE) have informed
the League of their financial and humanitarian support to
Lebanon, adding that they have deposited money in Lebanese
banks and pledged financial grants to reconstruct Lebanon.
Moussa reiterated that the problem is not reconstructing
Lebanon, but rather reaching a ceasefire. He also condemned
the American military support to Israel and called for a
stance against providing Israel with weapons.

Moussa declared that he will conduct an Arab tour beginning
August 2 starting with Jordan and will then make a trip
Saturday to Saudi Arabia, Syria and Lebanon to reach an Arab
stance to support Lebanon and confront aggression.
End text.
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