John McCain's Trip to Libya
(August 10, 2009)
Classified U.S. diplomatic cables, leaked by the
whistleblower site WikiLeaks, contain background information
ahead of Senator John McCain's visit to Libya in which he met
with dictator Muamar Ghaddafi. The cables show that the U.S. was looking
to normalize relations with Libya in 2009.
UNCLAS E F T O SECTION 01 OF 03 TRIPOLI 000648
SENSITIVE NOFORN SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG; H (H PLEASE PASS TO CODEL MCCAIN)
E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV OREP PHUM LY
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL MCCAIN'S TRIP TO LIBYA
TRIPOLI 00000648 001.2 OF 003
¶1. (SBU/NF) Summary: Embassy Tripoli warmly welcomes your visit
and believes it will be an important occasion to advance the bilateral
relationship in several key areas. Following the signature of the
U.S.-Libya Comprehensive Claims Settlement Agreement in October 2008,
the United States and Libya established full diplomatic relations,
including the exchange of Ambassadors in January 2009 for the first
time in 37 years. The normalization of relations has provided the
United States and Libya with increasing opportunities to push for
progress in areas of mutual concern, such as counterterrorism efforts,
military-to-military cooperation, regional stability in greater Africa,
and trade and investment. However, significant challenges remain,
particularly in ensuring Libya meets its disarmament commitments and
in encouraging the government to expand political space through a
human rights dialogue. We believe it would be very helpful if you
emphasized to your Libyan interlocutors the importance the U.S. places
on progress in these key areas, and share your vision of how the relationship
could develop once outstanding issues are resolved. End summary.
¶2. (SBU/NF) Your visit represents the highest-level visit by
a U.S. Government delegation since former Secretary of State Condoleeza
Rice's historic and well-received visit in September ¶2008. The
Libyan Government is taking great pains to ensure that you have a
positive experience as well, and will be listening for cues on the
future direction of the relationship. Your visit comes just three
weeks before the 40th anniversary of Qadhafi's coup on September 1,
and falls within a year of unprecedented international prominence
for Libya and for Muammar al-Qadhafi. Qadhafi, who sees himself as
a man of particular historical importance, currently holds the chairmanship
of the African Union (AU), and is expected to lead his country's delegation
to New York this fall, as his country takes on the presidency of the
64th UN General Assembly. Qadhafi has leveraged his position as AU
Chair to improve Libya's relations with European nations, paying recent
state visits to France, Russia, and Italy, among other nations. As
a sign that he has normalizedrelations with Libya's former colonial
ruler, Qadhafi will host Silvio Berlusconi for a Libyan-Italian "Friendship
Day" at the end of the month. A meeting with POTUS on the margins
of UNGA would be the capstone of Qadhafi's historic year, but Embassy
and high-level State Department officials have emphasized that Libya
must take specific actions to move forward the bilateral relationship
prior to a potential meeting.
SECURITY
¶3. (SBU/NF) Libya's decision to give up its WMD programs and
to renounce its support for terrorism opened the door for a wide range
of cooperation in areas of mutual concern. Libya has acted as a critical
ally in U.S. counterterrorism efforts, and Libya is considered one
of our primary partners in combating the flow of foreign fighters.
Our strategic partnership in this field has been highly productive
and beneficial to both nations. We have begun some successful training
programs to assist Libya in improving its security capabilities, under
the rubrics of anti-terrorism assistance and border security. However,
the government has not wanted to commit to participate in the Trans
Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP) due to an incorrect perception
that TSCTP is a regional organization, designed to provide U.S. foreign
assistance to countries in need. Libya is very sensitive to receiving
foreign aid, insisting that it is not a needy country but rather a
patron nation of others. We believe it would be helpful if you could
clarify the importance of TSCTP for obtaining congressional funding
for bilateral security programs in Libya.
¶4. (SBU/NF) Libya has stated its number one priority, in return
for relinquishing WMD, is a security guarantee by the U.S. against
foreign aggression. To that end, Libya has expressed an interest in
purchasing lethal weapons from U.S. firms. It would be helpful if
you could provide congressional perspectives on lethal sales to Libya
and the security commitments that must be fulfilled prior to any U.S.
consideration of lethal sales. The GOL has also expressed a desire
to receive in operational order the eight C-130 planes that Libya
purchased in the 1970's, which were never delivered to Libya. Although
the USG views the case as a strictly commercial matter between Libya
and Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the C-130s, the aircraft
are stored at a U.S. airbase, and the U.S. Air Force is encouraging
Lockheed Martin to propose a compromise. Notably, the GOL has
not yet agreed to end-use monitoring or security of U.S. technology
agreements - two necessary steps for expanded TRIPOLI 00000648 002.2
OF 003 military-to-military cooperation, such as International Military
Education and Training (IMET) programs.
WMD COMMITMENTS
¶5. (SBU/NF) Progress in other areas of the bilateral relationship
will depend on Libya's continued progress toward fulfillment of its
WMD-related commitments. The U.S. is ready to launch a civil-nuclear
dialogue as a framework for discussing ways in which we can expand
our nuclear cooperation in areas such as the establishment of a Regional
Nuclear Medicine Center, cooperative threat reduction, scientist engagement
and redirection programs, and civil-nuclear engagement. However, we
are unable to consider expanded cooperation until Libya makes good-faith
efforts to meet the following critical deadlines for destruction and/or
disposal of its WMD and related materials:
-September 2009: Transfer of highly enriched uranium fuel to Russia,
and beginning destruction of SCUD Bs;
-2010: Conversion of Rabta chemical site to a pharmaceutical plant,
and destruction of precursor chemicals;
-2011: Destruction of mustard agent.
¶6. (SBU/NF) The most pressing issue remains Libya's signing
of the agreement to transfer its highly enriched uranium to Russia
for treatment and disposal, an action that must be taken prior to
August 15, 2009, if Libya is going to meet the September deadline
for disposal. The GOL is keenly interested in the establishment of
the Regional Nuclear Medicine Center as an example of the success
of the bilateral relationship. Your interlocutors may raise the issue
of U.S. funding for the Regional Nuclear Medicine Center, which is
a request that the Department of Energy is currently preparing for
submission to Congress.
REGIONAL COOPERATION
¶7. (SBU/NF) Libya's strategic geographical position and current
role as chair of the African Union make it a significant player on
the continent. Libya has thus far cooperated with U.S. efforts to
foster peace in Darfur and a foundational effort to forge a ceasefire
between Sudan and Chad. The USG continues to support Libya's efforts
within the AU Peace and Security Commission to promote good governance
and rule of law. Qadhafi has used his role as Chair of the African
Union to attempt to mediate conflicts in the sub-Saharan region, to
include Sudan-Chad, Somalia, and Eritrea-Ethiopia. Libya hosted an
African Union Summit in July, during which it advocated to strengthen
the AU, and it is preparing to host another summit on regional peace
and security on August 31.
¶8. (SBU/NF) As Qadhafi has broadened his engagement as an African
leader, he has notably minimized his efforts to affect policy in the
Arab world. Nevertheless, he continues to tout his vision for a one-state
solution between the Israelis and the Palestinians: "Isratine."
The Libyans will appreciate any information you would like to share
regarding how Congress views Africa, the Arab world in general and
the Middle East peace process in particular.
HUMAN RIGHTS, MEGRAHI
¶9. (SBU/NF) Human rights remains a sensitive topic in the bilateral
relationship, particularly in the wake of Fathi el-Jahmi's death in
May. The Libyan Government has agreed to host an interagency team
of USG officials August 17-19 to launch a bilateral Human Rights Dialogue.
This first meeting will set the agenda for the dialogue, which will
include general discussion on a broad range of issues, such as international
conventions to which both the U.S. and Libya are party; refugees and
migration; prisons and detention facilities; international bodies
and international NGOs; as well as specific cases of concern from
both sides. The USG delegation will be led by the Acting Assistant
Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, and will
include representatives from the NSC, OVP, and State Department. The
Embassy views this dialogue as an important step forward in our relationship.
It would be very helpful if you could share your views on the importance
of human rights to bilateral engagement.
¶10. (SBU/NF) The Government of Libya has not officially raised
the case of convicted Pan Am 103 bomber Abdel Basset al-Megrahi with
the Embassy at any level. We do not expect the issue to be raised
during your visit, but if it is, we believe the most helpful response
would be to note that this is an issue for the Scottish Executive
and that it would not be constructive to discuss the case as a bilateral
issue. Libya requested compassionate release for Megrahi on July 24,
but the Scottish courts have not yet issued a decision on granting
his release.
HOMELAND SECURITY: VISAS AND PORT-OF-ENTRY PROCEDURES
¶11. (SBU/NF) As part of our effort to expand relations and facilitate
greater people-to-people exchanges, Embassy Tripoli began full non-immigrant
visa services in April 2009.
Unfortunately, we have not seen reciprocal movement on the Libyan
side. The Embassy is coordinating a bilateral working group with GOL
counterparts to discuss visa issues, including non-issuance of visas
to U.S. diplomats and official visitors, business travelers, and tourists.
It would be helpful if you could underscore with Libyan officials
the importance of a fully normalized visa regime to the implementation
of fully normalized relations with the United States.
¶12. (SBU/NF) Libyan officials may complain about Department
of Homeland Security regulations and practices governing the way that
they are received at U.S. ports-of-entry. Libyan travelers - including
senior Government officials, in contravention of DHS procedures -
are routinely pulled into secondary questioning due to Libya's status
as an NSEERS country. DHS regulations dating back to 1983 also prohibit
the travel to the U.S. of Libyan nuclear scientists and aircraft pilots
and mechanics. Libyan officials may not be aware of these latter regulations,
but they must be changed in order to move forward on the full range
of civil-nuclear and security cooperation that we envision.
COMMENT
¶13. (SBU/NF) The Embassy has received positive signs from the
Libyan Government regarding your requested meeting with Qadhafi. Your
visit will be seen as an important opportunity for Libya to prove
that it is worthy of respect as a bilateral partner. Qadhafi will
be looking to you for insight into how Congress views Libya and the
future of the bilateral relationship. Thank you in advance for any
assistance you can provide in pushing forward our strategic agenda.
We look forward to welcoming you in the Libyan Jamahiriya.
Sources: Wikileaks |