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### Viewing cable 09RIYADH447, COUNTERTERRORISM ADVISER BRENNAN'S MEETING WITH

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Reference ID | Date | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | ---
09RIYADH447 | 2009-03-22 10:10 | SECRET | Embassy Riyadh

`

    O 221014Z MAR 09
    FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH
    TO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
    SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0402
    INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
    AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI IMMEDIATE
    AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE
    AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE
    AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE
    AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE
    AMCONSUL DUBAI IMMEDIATE

` `

    S E C R E T RIYADH 000447

    NSC FOR JBRENNAN AND JDUNCAN; STATE FOR S/WCI

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2019
    TAGS: PREL PTER KWBG SA AF IN PK IR IZ
    SUBJECT: COUNTERTERRORISM ADVISER BRENNAN'S MEETING WITH
    SAUDI KING ABDULLAH

    REF: RIYADH 427

    Classified By: Pol Counselor Lisa Carle, 1.4(b),(d)

    ¶1.  KEY POINTS

    -- (S) Saudi King Abdullah welcomed White House
    counterterrorism adviser John Brennan, S/WCI Ambassador
    Williamson, and Ambassador Fraker to his private palace March
    15 for a 90-minute discussion focused on U.S.
    Saudi-relations,
    counterterrorism cooperation, the Yemeni Guantanamo Bay
    detainees, Iran, and Iraq.

    -- (S) Brennan presented the King with a letter from
    President Obama expressing a personal message of
    friendship, appreciation for our close and collaborative
    relationship and concern over the disposition of Yemeni
    detainees at Guantanamo.

    -- (S) The King said he had told Iranian Foreign Minister
    Mottaki only minutes before that Iran should stop
    interfering in Arab affairs, and had given Iran a one-year
    deadline to improve its relations with Saudi Arabia.

    -- (S) The King expressed a complete lack of trust in Iraqi
    PM al-Maliki and held out little hope for improved
    Saudi/Iraqi relations as long as al-Maliki remains in office.

    -- (S) When asked what advice he had for President Obama, the
    King said he had "one request":  that it was
    "critically important to restore America's credibility" in
    the world.

    U.S. SAUDI RELATIONS

    ¶2.  (S) PLEDGES OF FRIENDSHIP:  Brennan asserted that the
    U.S./Saudi alliance must remain strong, and assured the King
    of President Obama's wishes for a long and healthy U.S./Saudi
    relationship, and the President's personal commitment that
    Saudi Arabia had a friend in the White House.  The King
    replied that he appreciated the sentiments and that he had
    great respect for President Obama.  "We (the U.S. and Saudi
    Arabia) spilled blood together" in Kuwait and Iraq, the King
    continued, and Saudi Arabia valued this tremendously.
    Friendship can be a difficult issue that requires work,
    Abdullah said, but the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have done it for
    70 years over three generations.  "Our disagreements don,t
    cut to the bone," he stated.

    ¶3.  (S) U.S. CREDIBILITY IS CRITICAL:  The Bush
    Administration is now in the past, the King said.  Both
    President Bushes were his friends, but the recent President
    Bush didn,t take his advice on dealing with issues in the
    region, and they found their problems "compounded."  The King
    said, "we are ready to consult, provide guidance and to do
    whatever is necessary.  We are people of the region and we
    know it well."  Brennan responded that President Obama wants
    to listen, and asked what advice the King would offer to
    President Obama.  Abdullah said his one piece of advice was
    that restoring U.S. credibility in the world was critically
    important. Brennan responded that this was an important issue
    for President Obama as well.  Brennan said that under
    President Obama we will restore our credibility.  He said the
    U.S. is a great country and we know what we have to do.

    ¶4.  (S) THE WORLD NEEDS OBAMA:  Brennan said President Obama
    looked forward to seeing the King at the G-20 summit in
    London.  "Thank God for bringing Obama to the presidency,"
    the King answered, which has created "great hope" in the
    Muslim world.  "May God grant him strength and patience,
    Abdullah continued, "May God protect him.  I'm concerned
    about his personal safety.  America and the world need such a
    president."

    ¶5.  (C) THAT WITHOUT WHICH NO SAUDI MEETING IS COMPLETE:
    Abdullah said "as a friend" that "it was a mistake" to limit
    access of Saudi citizens to the U.S., since "this damages
    bilateral relations and the image of the U.S. in Saudi
    Arabia."  The King noted there were 60,000 Saudi students
    abroad, about one third of whom were in the U.S., and "others
    would have gone" but for the difficulties in gaining access
    to the U.S. The King noted that for many years very senior
    Saudi officials, including Prince Saud al-Faisal, had studied
    in the U.S.  He then noted that Saudi Ambassador to the U.S.,
    Adel al Jubeir (who was interpreting for the King) had
    studied in the U.S. and was "half American" as a result.  He
    also said he was aware of, and appreciated, Ambassador
    Fraker's efforts to improve the visa situation "even though
    there were people in Washington who fought him."  Finally, he
    observed that anyone from Saudi Arabia who studies in the
    U.S. inevitably becomes a friend and advocate of the United
    States and that we only hurt ourselves by cutting off this
    flow of students.

    DETAINEES

    ¶6.  (S) GUANTANAMO WILL BE CLOSED:  Brennan explained that
    President Obama had made a commitment to close Guantanamo to
    eliminate the potential propaganda benefits its existence
    provided to Al-Qaeda, but also because it was the right thing
    to do.  Brennan reassured the King, however, that President
    Obama would remain strong on counterterrorism.  Brennan
    presented the King with a letter from President Obama
    addressing the issue of Yemeni detainees at Guantanamo.
    Brennan noted that he had met with Prince Mohammed bin Nayef
    (MbN) the day before to discuss at length The issue of the
    Yemeni detainees.  Brennan further stated that he would be
    traveling to Sanaa the next day to meet with President Saleh,
    as the issue of the remaining 99 Yemeni detainees still needed
    to be resolved.  Brennan praised MbN as an outstanding
    counterterrorism partner, and that the MOI was doing a
    wonderful, courageous job in countering the terrorist threat
    to the Kingdom.  Returning to the subject later in the
    conversation, Brennan warned that the U.S. feared Yemen could
    become another Waziristan, and urged that the U.S. and Saudi
    Arabia needed to work together to keep Al-Qaeda in Yemen from
    growing even more dangerous.  The King replied that having
    Somalia next door to Yemen only adds to the danger.  Brennan
    said that the capabilities of the Ministry of the Interior
    security forces had grown impressively over the past 10
    years.  Brennan added that counterterrorism and intelligence
    sharing cooperation between our countries had never been
    better and that MbN deserved the credit.  In an unusual
    concession, made at the conclusion of their conversation, the
    King said, "be assured I am fully briefed on the work you are
    doing with Prince Mohammed bin Nayef."

    ¶7.  (S) HOW TO TRACK DETAINEES:  "I've just thought of
    something," the King added, and proposed implanting
    detainees with an electronic chip containing information
    about them and allowing their movements to be tracked with
    Bluetooth.  This was done with horses and falcons, the King
    said.  Brennan replied, "horses don,t have good lawyers,"
    and that such a proposal would face legal hurdles in the
    U.S., but agreed that keeping track of detainees was an
    extremely important issue that he would review with
    appropriate officials when he returned
    to the United States.

    IRAN

    ¶8.  (S) A "HEATED EXCHANGE":  The King noted that Iranian FM
    Mottaki had been "sitting in that same seat
    (as Brennan) a few moments ago."   The King described his
    conversation with FM Mottaki as "a heated exchange, frankly
    discussing Iran's interference in Arab affairs."  When
    challenged by the King on Iranian meddling in Hamas affairs,
    Mottaki apparently protested that "these are Muslims."  "No,
    Arabs" countered the King, "You as Persians have no business
    meddling in Arab matters."  The King said the Iranians wanted
    to improve relations and that he responded by giving Mottaki
    an ultimatum.  "I will give you one year" (to improve ties),
    "after that, it will be the end."

    ¶9.  (S) "SPARE US YOUR EVIL":  The King expressed hope the
    U.S. would review its Iran policy and "come to the right
    conclusion."  Brennan responded that President Obama was
    personally reviewing U.S. Iran policy and wanted to hear the
    King's thoughts.  Abdullah asserted that Iran is trying to
    set up Hizballah-like organizations in African countries,
    observing that the Iranians don't think they are doing
    anything wrong and don't recognize their mistakes.  "I said
    (to Mottaki) that's your problem," recounted the King.
    Abdullah said he would favor Rafsanjani in an Iranian
    election, were he to run.  He described Iran not as "a
    neighbor one wants to see," but as "a neighbor one wants to
    avoid."   He said the Iranians "launch missiles with the hope
    of putting fear in people and the world."  A solution to the
    Arab/Israeli conflict would be a great achievement, the King
    said, but Iran would find other ways to cause trouble.
    "Iran's goal is to cause problems," he continued, "There is
    no doubt something unstable about them."  He described Iran
    as "adventurous in the negative sense," and declared "May God
    prevent us from falling victim to their evil."  Mottaki had
    tendered an invitation to visit Iran,
    but Abdullah said he replied "All I want is for you to spare
    us your evil."  Summarizing his history with Iran,
    Abdullah concluded: "We have had correct relations over the
    years, but the bottom line is that they cannot be trusted."

    ¶10.  (S) AN EMPTY CHANNEL:  The King said "three years ago"
    Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei had sent his adviser Ali
    Akbar Velayati with a letter asking for Abdullah's agreement
    to establish a formal back channel for
    communication between the two leaders.  Abdullah said he had
    agreed, and the channel was established with Velayati and
    Saudi FM Saud al-Faisal as the points of contact.  In the
    years since, the King noted, the channel had never been used.

    ¶11.  (S) A DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOOD:  Brennan responded that
    the Saudis lived in a dangerous neighborhood with Iran across
    the Gulf, with Saudi Arabia sharing a long border with Yemen,
    and with a number of other troublesome countries nearby.
    Brennan noted that we have a lot of work to do in the Middle
    East together.  The King responded that the world,s
    attention was focused on the region.  He further stated that
    he believed that the U.S. could help in this sensitive
    region, but that we should not take matters lightly.  Brennan
    noted that President Obama is fully aware of the dangers in
    the region, that the U.S. knew that it had to remain involved
    in constructing a solution, and that we would seek the
    King,s counsel in dealing with the many issues in the Middle
    East.  The King asked if that included Iran.  Brennan
    responded that it did.  Brennan said that we had our eyes
    wide open to Iranian ambitions, that we were not nave to the
    dangers Iran posed to Saudi Arabia, and that Iran could not
    be allowed to succeed in its destabilizing activites.
    Brennan observed that the President had ordered a complete
    review of U.S. Iran policy and made reference to a passage in
    the President,s letter that we needed to test Iran,s
    intentions to cease its destabilizing behavior and live up to
    its international obligations.  Brennan further observed that
    the U.S.-Saudi partnership had to remain strong and that
    together, and with others, we needed to thwart Iran,s
    nuclear ambitions.  "That is important," responded the King.
    Finally, Brennan said the President wanted the King to know
    he had a good friend in the White House who would be willing
    to assist in any way that he could.  The King thanked Mr.
    Brennan, said he appreciated the sentiments, said that he had
    great respect for President Obama, and reflected that we had
    been great friends for many years and would remain friends as
    our disagreements were minor.

    ¶12.  (U) SEE REFTEL:  Ref A provided a separate readout on
    the Iran discussion and the King's meeting with Mottaki.

    IRAQ

    ¶13.  (S) IN THE HANDS OF GOD AND IRAN:  Brennan expressed the
    importance the U.S. attaches to achieving peace and stability
    in Iraq.  The King replied that this was "in the hands of
    God," though he agreed that Iraq was vitally important to
    both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.  The King also pointed out
    that "some say the U.S. invasion handed Iraq to Iran on a
    silver platter; this after we fought Saddam Hussein."

    ¶14.  (S) NO HOPE FOR MALIKI:  The King said he had "no
    confidence whatsoever in (Iraqi PM) Maliki, and the
    Ambassador (Fraker) is well aware of my views."  The King
    affirmed that he had refused former President Bush's
    entreaties that he meet with Maliki.  The King said he had
    met Maliki early in Maliki's term of office, and the Iraqi
    had given him a written list of commitments for
    reconciliation in Iraq, but had failed to follow through on
    any of them.  For this reason, the King said, Maliki had no
    credibility.  "I don,t trust this man," the King stated,
    "He's an Iranian agent."  The King said he had told both Bush
    and former Vice president Cheney "how can I meet with someone
    I don,t trust?"  Maliki has "opened the door for Iranian
    influence in Iraq" since taking power, the King said, and he
    was "not hopeful at all" for Maliki, "or I would have met
    with him."

    AN ALERT AND ENGAGING HOST

    ¶15.  (S) I MISS MY HORSES:  The King appeared alert and at
    times animated, entertaining his guests with anecdotes about
    his encounters with Iranian leaders (septel), and throwing up
    his hands in complaint when asked if he spent time with his
    horses: "I see them on television when they race," he said.
    "I love horses," he exclaimed, "every couple of weeks I get
    to see them, and then I have a very calm and restful sleep."

    ¶16.  (S) DIALOGUE AND REFORM AS DUTY:  In response to
    Brennan,s praise for the King,s interfaith dialogue
    initiative, his commitment to advancing rights as reflected
    by his recent appointment of the first female (deputy
    education) minister, the King said "Thanks for the sentiment
    but I did nothing special, only what I thought was my duty.
    I believe we do our duty as determined by God."

    ¶17.  (S) PARTICIPANTS:

    Saudi Arabia
    -- Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin
    Abdulaziz al-Saud
    -- HRH Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz al-Saud,
    Assistant Minister of the Interior
    -- Ambassador to the U.S. Adel al-Jubeir (interpreter)

    U.S.
    -- John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland
    Security and Counterterrorism
    -- Ambassador Ford Fraker
    -- Ambassador-at-large for War Crimes Issues Clint Williamson
    -- John Duncan, NSC Director for Counterterrorism
    -- Shaun Coughlin, Special Assistant, S/WCI
    -- Embassy control officer/notetaker

    ¶18.  (U) Assistant to the President Brennan cleared this
    cable.

    FRAKER

`