Palestine Papers: Saeb Erekat and Keith Dayton
Meeting Minutes: Saeb Erekat and Keith Dayton
Summary
Dayton expressed US interest in helping the Palestinian president and weakening Hamas. Erekat said the Presidential Guard is in need of weapons and ammunition. They also discussed reforms within Fatah, with Dayton urging Erekat to "resurrect the movement."
Full text
Meeting
Minutes
Erekat Dayton
May 10,
2006
Attendance:
Dr. Saeb Erekat
(SE)
Zeinah Salahi (ZS)
Rami Dajani
Gen. Keith
Dayton (KD)
Jennifer Butte-Dahl (Political Advisor to
Dayton)
Dov Schwartz (DS) (Media Advisor to
Dayton)
Steve ?
KD:
• There is a great deal of
interest in helping the President. The efforts are to
strengthen a future Palestinian state, not to fight Hamas.
•
• Presidential Guard (PG) is an important
component of the strategy to strengthen the President
particularly for border security management as a start.
[This is part of a three pronged approach National
Security Advisor (aka General Secretary for National
Security Affairs), the Presidential Guards and the border
management agency and borders.]
•
• Jordan and
Egypt are willing to help with training and equipping, even
at their own expense [KD discussed with Omar
Suleiman].
•
• Regarding CG Walles letter on
the Border Management Agency, the purpose is that we need to
know in detail what is actually there, and you must quickly
decide what you need for the future.
•
• While
the US will not be funding the BMA, there is a great deal of
interest from several parties, including EU, Egypt and
Jordan. We need to act quickly.
•
• Question
legal basis for BMA asks for clarification of legal
issues. [Note: this is one element which will be explained
in letter in response to Consul Generals request upon
further investigation, this may not be as simple as earlier
statements made it seem.]
•
• The PG performance
in Rafah is impressive. Expanding PG needed for border
crossings as a first step.
•
• Asks about
current BMA is it really 1,600 people?
•
SE:
• These measures need to be tools to get us
back into negotiations and political process with
Israel.
•
• We have raised airport issue with
Israelis. [KD agreed to do the same].
•
KD:
• Although immediate priority is borders and PG, we
need to discuss creating office of General Secretary for
Security Affairs; this is good for capacity building. The
President needs to decide who should occupy this position.
Until then we can deal with present channels.
•
.
• Welsh maintains that US strategic interest is still
a negotiated two state solution.
•
• There
needs to be public exposure to highlight the success at
Rafah, and the professional work of the PG there.
•
DS:
• In order to highlight this
success, you need spokesmen from the PG that can conduct
good PR. Media is everything. You need to pick people who
can do the talking.
•
SE:
• We agree
that capacity development is needed and suggest that NSU can
help with this.
•
• The PG is in dire need of
guns and ammunition. Particularly with the situation in
Gaza, this issue is critical. [KD replied that he will
raise this point with Israelis particularly in meeting
with Ephraim Sneh tomorrow].
•
• We need to
re-establish security liaison with Israel. This is the best
way to maintain security.
•
Steve: What is your view of the May 9 Quartet Statement?
• Quartet
made a positive statement. [Brief discussion of statement
and its positive side for the President]
•
KD:
• It is critical for Fatah to undergo reform.
Resurrecting the movement is a prerequisite and a
requirement for making any attempts to go back to a
political dialogue or negotiations with Israel credible.
•
• Is the convention taking place? When?
•
SE:
• With regard to Fatah, reform
poses difficulties but is moving ahead. The elections are
taking place shortly (goal is end June). The convention will
be held after elections.
•
• [General discussion
of Israeli politics: Labour, Olmert, and lack of engagement
with Palestinians]
•
• With regard to overall
strategy, actions need to take place in tandem:
strengthening institutions (borders and PG); reforming
Fatah; and opening and maintaining political channels with
Israel.
•
ENDS