EGYPTIAN PRESIDENCY POSTPONES FOREIGN DIGNITARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 003774

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM EG
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN PRESIDENCY POSTPONES FOREIGN DIGNITARY
VISITS, INDICATES MINIMAL FOREIGN TRAVEL BY PRESIDENT
MUBARAK AS ATTENTION TURNS TO DOMESTIC POLITICS


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


1. (C) Locally-based diplomats shared recently with us that
the Egyptian Presidency had quietly and abruptly "postponed"
long-scheduled visits by the Bulgarian and German Presidents
due to occur in the coming weeks. Likewise, as the Egyptian
leadership begins to turn its full attention to upcoming
Presidential and Parliamentary elections, President Mubarak
is expected to make only two foreign trips for the remainder
of the calendar year (both to Libya; the first May 16 for an
African Union Darfur summit and the second in mid-July for
the African Union's general summit in Sirte). While Egyptian
officials contend that the limited scheduling is intended to
allow President Mubarak the opportunity to "conserve his
energy," it seems clear that Mubarak will want to be close to
the action at the start of what is becoming an obviously
heated and contentious political season.


2. (C) The Bulgarian Ambassador told the charge on May 8
that the Egyptian Presidency postponed the May 29 visit of
the Bulgarian President. The Presidency reportedly said that
Mubarak would not receive foreign leaders or make any foreign
trips until December 15.


3. (C) In a May 15 discussion, the German Ambassador told
the Charge that the Egyptian Presidency had called May 10 to
"postpone" the June 6-7 state visit of German President Horst
Kohler. His visit was expected to include meetings with
civil society figures, the Coptic Pope, the Sheikh of Azhar,
and other influential Egyptians. The German Ambassador felt
that none of these meetings or visits would be particularly
sensitive or confrontational, but believed the GOE was
unusually sensitive over foreign visits that had the
potential to touch on domestic political affairs. He had
also heard that no foreign leaders could visit Egypt until
December 15.


4. (C) The Canadian Ambassaor told the Charge on May 15
that the Presidency had also communicated to the Canadian
Embassy that a potential visit to Egypt by their Prime
Minister would not be feasible in early September due to
plans to hold the National Democratic Party's annual
conference around that time. On the other hand, the French
Ambassador told the Charge (also on May 15) that he had not
yet heard from the Egyptian side on a planned September 28
visit by French President Chirac. He felt that it would be
awkward for the Egyptians to postpone this visit a second
time and expressed confidence the visit was still on.


5. (C) Comment: In our recent encounters with President
Mubarak, including an hour-long meeting with Senator Frist on
May 5, the Egyptian President appeared energetic and
vigorous. We have no reason to believe that the slowdown of
travel announced by the Presidency is related to a decline in
Mubarak's health. Rather, we attribute the change in
official travel by the Presidency entirely to the
increasingly hectic and contentious domestic file. End
comment.


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GRAY