Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05CAIRO2534
2005-03-31 15:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:  

SUDAN: EGYPT TO SEND CABINET MEMBER TO OSLO

Tags:  PREL PGOV EAID EFIN PHUM EG SU NO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002534 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID EFIN PHUM EG SU NO
SUBJECT: SUDAN: EGYPT TO SEND CABINET MEMBER TO OSLO
DONOR'S CONFERENCE AND MAY SOON HOST AFRICAN UNION'S DARFUR
QUINTET GROUP

REF: A. STATE 58860 (NOTAL)


B. STATE 56724 (NOTAL)

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002534

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID EFIN PHUM EG SU NO
SUBJECT: SUDAN: EGYPT TO SEND CABINET MEMBER TO OSLO
DONOR'S CONFERENCE AND MAY SOON HOST AFRICAN UNION'S DARFUR
QUINTET GROUP

REF: A. STATE 58860 (NOTAL)


B. STATE 56724 (NOTAL)

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


1. (C) The Charge met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed
Aboul Gheit March 30 and raised the issue of the upcoming
Sudan donors conference. Drawing on the points contained in
ref B, the Charge stressed the importance of high-level
Egyptian attendance at and support for the Oslo-hosted Sudan
donors conference scheduled for April 12. Noting that Deputy
Secretary Zoellick would represent the United States, the

SIPDIS
Charge requested that Egypt send a cabinet-level official to
signal the importance that the GOE attached to the
international gathering and to implementation of the
comprehensive peace agreement. Responding, the Foreign
Minister stated that Fayza Aboulnaga, Minister of
International Cooperation, would represent Egypt at this
important conference. Other more junior officials would
accompany her on the trip, he added.


2. (C) On March 31, poloff met with Abdel Monem Omar, MFA
Deputy Office Director for Sudan Affairs to further discuss
this subject and to deliver ref A demarche on the Oslo
conference. Sharing talking points in the form of a
non-paper, poloff requested that Egypt clarify its assistance
to Sudan at the conference, and do what it could to assist
the African Union's Mission in Sudan (AMIS) in addressing the
Darfur crisis. Omar confirmed that Egypt would send
Aboulnaga as its senior representative and other officials
from different agencies involved in Sudan assistance
programs. MFA Sudan Affairs Office Director Afifi Abdel
Wahab will be among that group. While Egypt is actively
engaged on Sudan, and has provided assistance for numerous
projects in southern Sudan, Omar said that Egypt would not be
making a financial contribution in Oslo but would describe
its various projects there.


3. (C) Poloff also met March 31 with Hesham Afifi, Africa
watcher on Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit's personal staff, to
share ref B demarche regarding high-level attendance at the
Oslo donors conference. During that conversation, Afifi
(protect) revealed that Egypt would host 29 African heads of
state in Sharm El Sheikh April 19 for a meeting of the New
Partnership for Africa's Development (NePAD) leadership
implementation committee. Furthermore, he said, Ethiopian
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi would arrive in Cairo for
bilateral discussions April 16, staying on for the NePAD
meetings. A potential meeting of heads of state from the
African Union's Darfur Quintet (Egypt, Chad, Libya, Nigeria,
and Sudan) immediately following the NePAD meeting is also
under consideration. The Egyptian Foreign Minister was also
looking to reschedule a visit to Eritrea during the second
half of April, Afifi said.


4. (U) Khartoum minimize considered.


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

You can also access this site through the
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website.

GRAY