MDA: SWISS PROJECT DIRECTOR PFIRTER'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 003178

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL PHUM EG IS ICRC MDA
SUBJECT: MDA: SWISS PROJECT DIRECTOR PFIRTER'S
CONSULTATIONS WITH EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS ON THIRD PROTOCOL
CONFERENCE AND EMBLEM ISSUE

REF: A. BERN 630 (NOTAL)


B. STATE 71261 (NOTAL)

C. CAIRO 2875

D. GENEVA 811 (NOTAL)

E. CAIRO 2515

Classified by Charge Michael Corbin for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).

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Summary
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1. (C) During a two-day visit to Egypt April 20-21, Swiss
Department of Foreign Affairs Policy Coordinator Didier
Pfirter met with senior Egyptian and Arab League officials to
discuss the Magen David Adom (MDA) and Third Protocol issues.
During the meetings, the Egyptian MFA expressed concerns
over the timing of Swiss efforts absent greater progress on
the Roadmap and absent (unspecified) gestures from the
Israeli side toward the Palestinians. Arab League Secretary
General Amre Moussa was categorically unhelpful, while
Presidential advisor Osama El Baz was sympathetic but
similarly concerned over timing of the Swiss initiative.
Poloff encouraged the Swiss to keep up the pressure; post
will continue to do the same. End summary.

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Swiss Policy Coordinator on Regional Tour
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2. (C) Swiss Government Policy Coordinator on the MDA issue
Didier Pfirter, during an introductory visit to Cairo April
20-21, met with Egyptian MFA Assistant Minister Ahmed
Fathallah, Chief of the MFA Cabinet Sameh Shukry,
Presidential Advisor Osama El Baz, Arab League Secretary
General Amre Moussa, and Red Crescent Secretary General
Mamduh Gabr. According to Swiss Embassy poloff Peter Nelson,
the general GOE reaction to Pfirter's presentation ranged
between cautious and negative. Pfirter, he said, described
three policy options open to the international community on
the MDA issue: one, a six-month fast-track approach to
complete the entire process of bringing the MDA into the
Movement; two, maintenance of the status quo with blame
directed toward the Arab governments for not moving, and;
three, removing some of the urgency surrounding the issue by
seeking commitments by state parties to move forward over the
coming two years in return for abandoning the fast-track
approach. The last of these three options is Egypt's
preferred choice, according to Nelson.


3. (C) Assistant Minister Fathallah reportedly expressed to
Pfirter his doubts about moving forward with the Third
Protocol and MDA issues, noting that the situation on the
ground in the occupied territories had not changed
significantly for the Palestinians. While there was
currently a lull in fighting and violence, Fathallah
reportedly conveyed, the situation is fluid and can easily
take a turn for the worse. Nevertheless, the GOE was
currently consulting with other Arab and Muslim governments
and trying to reach a consensus position on the subject.
Fathallah recommended that Pfirter continue to engage and
work with these delegations in Geneva. MFA Chief of Cabinet
Sameh Shukry similarly expressed skepticism on the timing of
the Swiss initiative, suggesting that the "fast-track"
timetable being discussed was too ambitious. Geneva's
hosting of a diplomatic conference on the Third Protocol in
October, as suggested, was too early for Cairo and other Arab
states. Similarly, Presidential Advisor Osama El Baz
expressed sympathy for solving the problem but revealed
concerns over the timing of the Swiss efforts. It would be
difficult for Arab governments to make conciliatory gestures
to Israel such as this one, the Egyptians argued, absent
better news regarding cessation of settlement and security
barrier construction by Israel and the improvement of the
humanitarian situation for Palestinians in the territories.
Red Crescent Secretary General Gabr was sympathetic to
resolving the MDA issue but recognized that state parties
alone would determine the success or failure of these efforts.

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Bringing the Egyptians on Board
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4. (C) While Egyptian caution on the MDA issue was entirely
expected, poloff encouraged his Swiss counterpart to keep up
the pressure. Post will do the same, taking advantage of
upcoming meetings with senior GOE officials to make clear
that the MDA issue is a high priority to the USG.


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http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/cairo

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CORBIN