CONTINUING TO PURSUE RADIO SAWA TRANSMISSION IN

UNCLAS CAIRO 002734

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

FOR NEA; ALSO FOR R
PLEASE PASS TO BBG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PROP KPAO EG BBG
SUBJECT: CONTINUING TO PURSUE RADIO SAWA TRANSMISSION IN
EGYPT

REF: A. CAIRO 668


B. 04 CAIRO 7239

C. 04 CAIRO 5451

D. 04 CAIRO 2789

E. 04 CAIRO 1627

F. 03 CAIRO 2588

Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.


1. (SBU) Summary: Continuing to seek permission for Radio
Sawa to retransmit its signal in Egypt, the Charge sent a
letter on March 31 to newly appointed Minister of
Information Anas El Fekki reiterating the U.S. Broadcasting
Board of Governors's (BBG's) long-standing request for
facilities to retransmit its signal in Egypt. The Charge
repeated post's willingness to meet with the GOE at any
time to discuss the matter in more detail. Refs A through
F describe post's earlier efforts on this subject. End
summary.


2. (SBU) The BBG sent then Minister of Information Safwat
El Sherif a letter on May 26, 2004, requesting to install
an FM transmission tower for Radio Sawa in Cairo's Media
City. Ambassador Welch presented this letter to the
Minister in person on June 2, 2004. Minister Sherif was
replaced shortly thereafter, and the Charge sent a follow-
up letter to his replacement, Minister Mamdouh El Baltagui,
on July 18. In a courtesy call on September 26, 2004,
Ambassador Welch also broached the Radio Sawa issue with
Minister Beltagui (ref B). During a January 27, 2005,
luncheon meeting, Ambassador Welch again raised the issue,
but Minister Beltagui was still non-committal (ref A).
Minister Beltagui was replaced on February 15, 2005, by
Anas El Fekki.


3. (SBU) Charge Gray sent a follow-up letter to Minister
El Fekki on March 31, 2005, referencing previous
correspondence. To date, post has not received any reply
to our repeated inquires on the subject from the Ministry
of Information. Post will continue to press the GOE and
work with BBG on next steps on this issue.

GRAY