Foreign Coordination
Date: June 22, 2006
Description: Unclassified State Department Memo from American Embassy in Riyadh to Secretary of State in Washington, DC
Full Text:
P 281502Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9065
INFO GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
AMCONSUL JEDDAH
UNCLAS RIYADH 005172
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SCUL, KDEM, KISL, PGOV, PHUM, SOCI, SA
SUBJECT: VISIT BY COUNCIL ON AMERICAN ISLAMIC RELATIONS
(CAIR) TO SAUDI ARABIA
REF: ABU DHABI 2127
1.(U) Following up on a similar visit to the UAE in May
(reftel), a delegation from the U.S.-based Council on
American Islamic Relations (CAIR) visited the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia (KSA) in June. On June 22 the group paid a
courtesy call on the Embassy to discuss the organization's
issues and outreach strategies. In the Ambassador's absence,
DCM received the group, along with the PA Counselor and
Poloff (notetaker).
2.(SBU) Prior to coming to Riyadh, the CAIR group visited
Mecca and Jeddah. Although they apparently were not received
at the highest levels of the SAG, the group assured the
Embassy that ``King Abdullah knows CAIR very well'' and
receives regular updates on the group's projects. After
recalling the success of their visit to the UAE in May, the
group predicted that they would be back in the region by fall
to visit Kuwait and Qatar. The group also mentioned that they
had been well-received in Washington by senior State
Department officials, including Secretary Rice and
Undersecretary Hughes.
3.(U) The core delegation consisted of CAIR Board Chairman
Dr. Parvez Ahmed, Executive Director Nihad Awad, and
Communications Director Cary (Ibrahim) Hooper. Accompanying
them were former U.S. Representative Paul Findley and Don
Myers, a former DoD official now with Hill and Knowlton
public relations.
4.(U) During their hour-long meeting in the Embassy, the
group presented various projects that CAIR is working on to
counter negative stereotypes about Muslims in the U.S.
(``Islamophobia''), linking their work to concern over
growing anti-Americanism in the Middle East. One of the
current CAIR projects they discussed was the presentation of
``accurate books about Islam'' to schools and libraries in
the U.S.
5.(SBU) Mr. Don Myers, representing Hill and Knowlton, gave
a short demonstration of a CAIR-funded media campaign to
support CAIR's overall information outreach effort. According
to Myers, this private campaign will emphasize both
grassroots outreach to improve American non-Muslim
understanding of Muslims and the encouragement of political
engagement by American Muslims. The multi-year broadcast and
print campaign is to be entitled ``Let the Conversation
Begin'' and is aimed at countering negative stereotypes about
Muslims within the broad American public.
6.(SBU) One admitted reason for the group's current visit
to the KSA was to solicit $50 million in governmental and
non-governmental contributions. PA Counselor noted that
private outreach activities can provide valuable support to
USG efforts to build mutual understanding overseas but
cautioned that USG Public Diplomacy (PD) funds cannot be used
or associated with efforts to target American audiences. The
delegation was interested to hear of the Embassy's PD
exchange and activities within the KSA and offered to help
support them in any appropriate way. The group did not share,
however, any details of their success or lack thereof in
fundraising within the KSA.
Oberwetter.
Source(s):
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