EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 002514

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EG IS IZ
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT,
IRAQ NEIGHBORS MEETING, RESCHEDULING G-8/ARAB LEAGUE REFORM
CONFERENCE

Classified by Charge Gordon Gray for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

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Summary
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1. (C) During a March 30 meeting with the Foreign Minister
regarding the induction of Israel's Magen David Adom society
into the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement (septel),the Charge
requested a readout on the latest Arab League summit in
Algiers, as well as updates on a prospective Iraq Neighbors
meeting in Istanbul and Egypt's rescheduling of a postponed
G-8/Arab League conference on reform. Aboul Gheit offered a
generally upbeat assessment of the Arab League meeting,
listing several accomplishments yet criticizing the decision
by nine heads of state to not attend. On an Iraq Neighbors
meeting being planned by Turkey, Aboul Gheit expressed his
intention to attend, provided the meeting came after
formation of a government in Iraq and contributed to
political stabilization there. Aboul Gheit did not rule out
rescheduling the postponed March 2-3 G-8/Arab League
Ministerial in Cairo, but complained about "eleventh-hour"
criticism by the UK (as G-8 Chair) and asserted close
coordination by all parties was a prerequisite for
rescheduling the Ministerial. End summary.

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Read-out of Arab League Summit
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2. (C) Asked his views on the results of the March 22-23
Arab League summit, Aboul Gheit said he was very pleased with
the outcome of the event, particularly the "peaceful
atmosphere" in which the summit was held. Offering specific
accomplishments of the meeting, Aboul Gheit noted the success
of Secretary Amre Moussa in receiving financial support for
the cash-strapped League to fund its programs and
initiatives. Pointing to reforms of the League itself, Aboul
Gheit noted the decision to create an Arab Parliament - a
proposal that would take root and develop over the next five
years, he said. The group of leaders, he continued, agreed
to alter the decision-making process within the League away
from consensus and toward majority rule, and had agreed to
the creation of a mechanism for the enforcement of formal
decisions taken by member states.


3. (C) Other positive developments, he added, were the
endorsement by heads of state of Iraq's political process and
the absence of condemnation of the U.S. regarding its
relationship to Libya. Aboul Gheit cited his pleasure at the
leaders' decision to lend their collective support to Egypt
for membership in an expanded UN Security Council and
criticized the absence of nine leaders from the Algiers
summit. While the most influential Arab leaders attended the
summit, he said, the decision by many not to attend only
harmed themselves.

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Iraq: Turkish-hosted Neighbors Meeting Must be Productive
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4. (C) Aboul Gheit confirmed reports that Turkey was
consulting with other members of the Iraq Neighbors group
regarding its hosting of a meeting, possibly in April. Aboul
Gheit noted that Turkey had floated April 18-19 as possible
dates, but said he had a scheduling conflict since he planned
to attend a ministerial meeting of the Afro-Asia countries
April 20 in Indonesia. He also noted that a New Partnership
for Africa's Development summit would occur around the same
time. Furthermore, he added, an Iraq neighbors meeting
should only take place when Iraq's political process had
moved forward, a government is formed, and the Neighbors can
contribute to political stabilization there. Aboul Gheit
stated that he had no objections, per se, to joining such a
meeting, but again emphasized that the meeting should endorse
positive developments there.

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G-8/Arab League Reform Conference Still on Ice
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5. (C) Responding to the Charge's question whether Egypt
would reschedule its G-8/Arab League reform conference
originally planned for March 2-3 in Cairo, Aboul Gheit said
this subject was "sadly" not raised at the Algiers summit, as
the GOE interpreted that the subject of regional reform had
assumed a "lower priority" among attendees. Even though
neither Egypt nor any of the other representatives pressed
this issue, he said, "we will have to reflect upon how to do
so; perhaps at an upcoming meeting in Amman in May of
education and foreign ministers." Aboul Gheit added that if
there was interest from the U.S., the UK (as G-8 Chair),and
others, it would take communication and coordination to get
such a conference scheduled again. Seeking to pin the blame
elsewhere, Aboul Gheit continued that "eleventh hour"
criticisms from the UK (not the U.S., he clarified) and a
general "lack of engagement" on preparations for the
conference from other G-8 participants had been unhelpful.

Visit Embassy Cairo's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/cairo

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GRAY