UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 002736

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/PPD; ALSO FOR NEA/ELA, IIP/SC AND ECA/P

E.O. 12958: NA
TAGS: SCUL OEXC KPAO EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT PUBLIC DIPLOMACY RESULTS AND ACTIVITIES
(03/10/05 - 04/07/05)

REF: CAIRO 2416

Public Diplomacy programming in Egypt for this
reporting period continued to address the full range of
Post's MPP themes. This programming included support
for a visit by American iEARN students, a cross-
cultural dance performance, and engagement with
Egyptian press on a number of regional stability
issues. Post also recorded positive results from its
information outreach and cultural liaison activities.
Summary reports follow. Reftel is post's most recent
prior submission for NEA/PPD reporting and IIP's PD
results database.

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RESULTS
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(03/29/05) EMBASSY-PROVIDED MATERIALS INFLUENCE
EGYPTIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN TRADE AND INDUSTRY REPORT

Material and weblinks provided by the Embassy's
Information Resource Center to an advisor to the
Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry were used by
that office in a report on U.S.-Egyptian economic
cooperation that reached senior GOE officials. The
materials covered the possibility of a Middle East
Free Trade Agreement, status of U.S.-Egypt trade, and
USAID programming in Egypt.

MPP GOAL: ECONOMIC PROSPERITY


(03/28/05) MISSION INFORMATION PACKETS INTEGRATED INTO
EGYPTIAN CLASSROOMS

In support of the MEPI-supported "Seeds of Peace"
youth exchange in Egypt, the Embassy's Information
Resource Center distributed Washington File articles
and the IIP-produced "Info USA" CD-ROM to "Seeds of
Peace" participants, many of whom are teachers and
school administrators. They report using these
materials to guide classroom discussions of current
world events.

MPP GOAL: MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING


(04/05/05) MISSION FACILITATES COMMERCIAL AMERICAN ARTS
VENTURE WITH CAIRO OPERA HOUSE

Embassy Cairo's introduction of prominent American
arts promoter Miles Copeland to the Cairo Opera House
leadership opened doors that resulted in an agreement
for the Opera House to present a group of American
oriental dancers for three nights in April 2006. This
will be the first time for Egypt's premier performing
arts space to host such a large commercial (i.e. non-
subsidized) program. A successful run will encourage
additional commercial American cultural offerings for
Cairo.

MPP GOAL: MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING


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ACTIVITIES
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(03/31/05) EMBASSY ENGAGES VISITING IRAQI JOURNALISTS
TO REBUT INACCURATE EGYPTIAN MEDIA STEREOTYPES

Post used a reception in honor of visiting Iraqi
journalists, in Egypt for a training program, to rebut
inaccurate Egyptian media stereotypes about the current
situation in Iraq. By describing their daily living
and working conditions, the Iraqis presented their
Egyptian colleagues with a more balanced view of Iraq
than is typically presented in the Egyptian media.

MPP GOAL: REGIONAL STABILITY


(03/22/05 - 04/07/05) EMBASSY HIGHLIGHTS U.S.-EGYPT TIES
DURING VISIT OF U.S. STUDENT DELEGATION TO EGYPT

Embassy support to the visit of a U.S. "iEARN"
(International Education and Research Network) youth
exchange delegation served effectively to highlight
the value of U.S.- Egyptian exchanges generally to a
wide audience. Embassy support to this first visit to
Egypt by an American delegation as part of the ECA
Bureau's three-year "iEARN Bridge" project included a
briefing and tour of the Embassy - for both the
delegation and their Egyptian hosts, a farewell
reception - hosted by PAO and addressed by Charge, and
extensive media activities. The resulting media
coverage included an interview with two American and
two Egyptian participants on the Egyptian prime-time
TV talk show "El Beit Beitak" (The House is Yours).

MPP GOAL: MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING


(03/10/05) DANCER-DIPLOMAT DEMONSTRATES AMERICA'S
CULTURAL DIVERSITY AT CAIRO CULTURAL CENTER

To highlight America's cultural diversity, the Embassy
helped to arrange for one of its junior officers, of
South Asian heritage, to present an evening of
classical Indian dance at a popular private cultural
center in Cairo. Her performance, jointly sponsored by
the U.S. Embassy and the Indian Cultural Center, was
attended by almost 600, including many Egyptians.
Detailed narration, in English and Arabic, effectively
complemented the actual dances. Media coverage was
excellent - both print and television - conveyinig to
a wide audience a positive message of American
diversity.

MPP GOAL: MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING


(03/19/05) EMBASSY FACILITATES DISCUSSION BETWEEN
VISITING AJC DELEGATION AND EGYPTIAN JOURNALISTS

The Embassy responded to an expression of interest by
a visiting delegation from the American Jewish
Committee (AJC) to organize a discussion for them with
representative Egyptian journalists on the current
media landscape in Egypt. The resulting interaction
touched on Arab-Israeli peace efforts, anti-Semitism,
and the role of the U.S. in the Arab world. Both
sides reported profiting from the exchange.

MPP GOAL: REGIONAL STABILITY


(04/05/05) MISSION PROGRAMS VISITING U.S. TREASURY
UNDER SECRETARY TO EGYPT'S FINANCIAL COMMUNITY

Taking advantage of the visit to Cairo by outgoing
U.S. Under Secretary of the Treasury John B. Taylor,
the Embassy arranged for him to address an invited
audience of 100 Egyptian economists, bankers, and
economic reporters. His remarks focused on U.S.
monetary policies in emerging markets and their
implications for Egypt. The Q-and-A session lasted for
an hour, followed by interviews with Egyptian TV's
"Nile News" and with the satellite channel CNBC.

MPP GOAL: ECONOMIC PROSPERITY


(03/20/2005) EMBASSY ARRANGES TELEPHONE INTERVIEW FOR
EGYPTIAN JOURNALIST WITH ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR
AFRICAN AFFAIRS

The Embassy supported a recent visit to Cairo by the
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs by
arranging a telephone interview for her with a
prominent Egyptian columnist. The full transcript of
the interview, along with well-informed commentary on
U.S. Africa policy, was published in Egypt's largest
daily, Al Akhbar.

MPP GOAL: REGIONAL STABILITY


(03/30-31/05) MISSION SPOTLIGHTS USAID PROJECTS IN THE
NILE DELTA

As part of an ongoing effort to counter criticism of
U.S. development assistance in Egypt's opposition
press, the Embassy - working with USAID - took a group
of Egyptian journalists to visit and see first-hand
the positive results of USAID activities in the Nile
Delta, especially those of the Commodity Import
Program (CIP) and various water treatment projects.

MPP GOAL: ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

GRAY