EGYPT: RAISING AWARENESS OF PSI

UNCLAS CAIRO 002740 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/RA, SA/PD/LSCHWARTZ, IIP/TCOONEY, IIP/FWARD, IIP/T/JSIEGEL, PA/FPC/RMACHAMER, NP/AGORDON, T/PMCNERNEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PHSA OIIP KNNP KPAO EG SUBJECT: EGYPT: RAISING AWARENESS OF PSI REF: A. STATE 61730 (PSI OUTREACH) ¶B. CAIRO 1401 (NPT PUBLIC DIPLOMACY) ¶C. CAIRO 1341 (EGYPT "MODERATE" STANCE ON PSI) ¶D. 04 CAIRO 3181 (SHIP BOARDING AGREEMENT TAKES TIME) ¶E. 04 CAIRO 2906 (APPROACH TO SHIP BOARDING PACT) ¶F. 04 CAIRO 673 (INVIGORATING THE NP DIALOGUE) ¶G. 03 CAIRO 8583 (PARALLEL PSI DEMARCHES) ¶H. 03 CAIRO 4628 (O/I ON BROADER NP DIALOGUE) ¶I. 03 CAIRO 3048 (EINHORN VISIT) ¶J. 02 CAIRO 12296 (EXPORT CONTROL NEEDS PUSH) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) Post appreciates ref A opportunity to consider how public diplomacy might raise awareness of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) in Egypt. Egypt is an influential leader in the non-proliferation (NP) community and Egyptian experts hold unequaled sway in international fora. While Egypt and the U.S. share many strategic goals in the NP arena, Egypt often takes positions sympathetic to the nonaligned movement or other "non-Western" groupings which do not necessarily endorse USG initiatives and tactics. The U.S. and Egypt share many of the objectives of the PSI, for example, yet Egypt has yet to express formal support or become an active participant. ¶2. (SBU) Public awareness of non-proliferation issues is very low in Egypt, with initiatives like the PSI gaining little resonance with a population focused on other concerns. The PSI is familiar to NP specialists, however, and an effective communication effort really should center around those at the MFA or strategic think tanks who focus professionally on non-proliferation. This objective is best accomplished in face-to-face meetings during the visits of senior USG officials or U.S. experts in the field. The best approach to reaching the broader public is to influence the perceptions of recognized Egyptian experts who contribute to domestic publications (both specialized and mass distribution) and appear in the Arab media. ¶3. (SBU) Post recommends deepening our NP dialogue with Egyptian experts, as articulated reftels (refs E and F in particular),through visits by senior USG officials. A helpful alternative would be a recognized U.S. expert (such as Robert Einhorn, who visited Egypt on CSIS business in 2002, ref I). The IIP speaker program could be used to support such a visit, if needed, but the expert would need to have recognized international stature and credibility on NP issues. Programming during any such visit should include both GOE and academic audiences, with PSI being one of multiple issues discussed. Many of the points made in paragraph 18 of ref A could most effectively be conveyed to Egyptian audiences during direct discussions in Cairo. ¶4. (SBU) Egypt is looking for enhanced USG recognition of its influential role in the NP arena. A visit designed to acknowledge that role, as well as boost appreciation for U.S. approaches to our common NP goals, would go a long way toward encouraging greater GOE support for PSI. 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