VZCZCXRO7641
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDU RUEHKUK RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV
DE RUEHTRO #0457/01 1641420
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 121420Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3521
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 4027
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TRIPOLI 000457
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG AND INR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/12/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON PBTS PREF LY
SUBJECT: QADHAFI WORKS TO MUSTER ARAB OPPOSITION TO SARKOZY'S
MEDITERRANEAN UNION PROPOSAL REF: A) TRIPOLI 442, B) TRIPOLI 453 TRIPOLI 00000457 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Chris
Stevens, CDA, U.S. Embassy Tripoli, Dept of State. REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 1. (C) Summary: In a strongly worded speech at
what was characterized as a mini-Arab League summit, Muammar al-Qadhafi sharply criticized a French-backed Mediterranean
Union proposal, claiming that attempts to incentivize southern Mediterranean states with investment schemes were
insulting. Claiming that the new entity would undermine Arab and African member states' commitments to the Arab League
(AL)and African Union (AU), respectively, he suggested that an alternative could be formal EU cooperation with the AL
and AU, to be coordinated through the headquarters of the latter two organizations. A visit to Tripoli by former British
Prime Minister Tony Blair coincided with the mini-summit; al-Qadhafi reportedly told Blair he was concerned that the
Mediterranean Union proposal represented an effort by southern European states to create a de facto North African
bulwark against illegal migration from sub-Saharan Africa, and to "further legitimize" Israel at the expense of Arab
states. End summary. 2. (U) At a mini-Arab League (AL) summit meeting in Tripoli on June 10, Muammar al-Qadhafi made a
strong case against a Mediterranean Union modeled on and linked to the European Union (EU), an idea championed by French
President Nicholas Sarkozy that would comprise the 27 EU nations and a dozen non-EU countries located along the southern
Mediterranean littoral. The meeting was attended by heads of state from Mauritania, Algeria, Tunis and Syria, and by
Moroccan Prime Minister Abbas el-Fassi. Originally billed to some Arab diplomats in Tripoli as an Arab Maghreb Union
(AMU) summit plus Syrian President Bashar al-Asad and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (ref A), late innings controversy
about the refusal of King Muhammad VI of Morocco to attend reportedly prompted the Government of Libya (GOL) to recast
the event as a mini-AL summit. 3. (U) Orchestrated by al-Qadhafi, the Tripoli meeting was designed to muster Arab
opposition to the Mediterranean Union proposal in advance of a broader gathering in Paris on July 13 to formally unveil
the plan. In a strongly-worded opening address, al-Qadhafi characterized the French proposal as an attempt to undermine
the unity of Arab League and African Union member states. Describing Sarkozy's proposal as "a passing fad", he likened
it to the failed Barcelona Process initiated in 1995, and said attempts to incentivize AL and AU states to join the new
union with large-scale investment proposals were "an insult". Striking a populist tone, he stressed that Arab and
African states were "not hungry to this extent; we're not dogs that they can wave a bone in front of and we'll run after
it". Arab and African unity "should not be sacrificed for transient investment projects". Emphasizing that member
states' commitments to the extant AL and AU trumped those to any nascent Mediterranean Union, he suggested that a viable
alternative to a new structure could be formal cooperation between the EU and AL and AU states, to be coordinated
through AL headquarters in Cairo and AU headquarters in Addis Ababa. Al-Qadhafi's sarcastic references to "my dear
Sarkozy" took observers by surprise and has left some wondering whether the bonhomie engendered by the latter's visit to
Tripoli in July 2007 has begun to ebb. French diplomats in Tripoli offered no comment, noting only that they had not yet
received instructions from Paris on whether or how to respond. 4. (C) Al-Qadhafi was the only leader to offer public
remarks before the meeting adjourned to a reportedly heated session of principals plus one. Egyptian and Algerian
diplomats told us Morocco was isolated in its support for the Mediterranean Union proposal and by the fact that it was
represented at the PM, vice head of state, level. Libyan MFA interlocutors conceded that a closing statement had been
expected and desired by al-Qadhafi; however, the group was unable to achieve consensus on its position concerning the
union, let alone language for a summary statement. In a further sign of discord, President Mubarak ultimately did not
attend (he cited a heavy schedule), despite persistent efforts by al-Qadhafi to lure him to Tripoli to broker a truce
with Syrian President Bashar al-Asad. The Egyptian PolCouns told us al-Qadhafi called Mubarak twice - once while in the
car with Asad on their way into town from the airport - to urge him to come to Tripoli (further details on Asad's visit
were reported ref B) 5. (C) The mini-AL summit coincided with a visit to Tripoli on June 10 by former British Prime
Minister Tony Blair. U.K. Deputy Head of Mission Mark Matthews told P/E Chief June 11 that al-Qadhafi stressed to Blair
in their private meeting concern that Sarkozy's proposal represented an effort by southern European states to create a
de facto North African bulwark against illegal migration from sub-Saharan Africa. Recapitulating themes we've heard
publicly here, al-Qadhafi insisted the key to mitigating illegal migration flows to Europe TRIPOLI 00000457 002.2 OF 002
was to reduce "push" factors by promoting greater development in source countries. The two specifically discussed the
possibility of Libyan investment in Sierra Leone and Rwanda, countries in which Blair's charitable foundation has a
strong interest (further details on Blair's visit septel). Al-Qadhafi also voiced suspicion that the Mediterranean Union
could be used as a forum in which to encourage further Arab-Israeli rapprochement as a means by which to "further
legitimize" Israel at the expense of the Arabs. 6. (C) Comment: Al-Qadhafi's speech offers a snapshot of Libya's unique
vision of overlapping pan-Arab and pan-African aspirations. While striking vintage pan-Arab themes - "we are fully
committed to the Arab League, which we hope will one day lead us to an eventual Arab union" - he was also careful to
stress that Arab Maghreb states were African and had responsibilities to their sub-Saharan counterparts that trumped any
notional partnership with Europe. End comment. STEVENS