EGYPT TO CONSIDER NOMINATION OF JUDGE BUERGENTHAL

UNCLAS CAIRO 003780

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IO AND NEA/ELA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG UNSC UNGA
SUBJECT: EGYPT TO CONSIDER NOMINATION OF JUDGE BUERGENTHAL
FOR ICJ RE-ELECTION; INQUIRY ON REQUEST TO USG FOR SUPPORT
FOR EGYPTIAN CANDIDACY TO UNESCO SEAT

REF: STATE 80697


1. Poloff delivered reftel demarche May 12 on the candidacy
of Judge Thomas Buergenthal to MFA Second Secretary in the
Office of Specialized Agencies Ms. Sohad Sabry. Sabry
welcomed the diplomatic note and accompanying documentation
relating to Mr. Buergenthal's candidacy for re-election as
judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ),and
promised to share the information with Assistant Minister
Fathalla upon the latter's return from the NPT conference in
New York. Sabry would not speculate on the likelihood of GOE
support for Buergenthal. She did, however, note that the
Egyptian judge currently serving on the ICJ, Ambassador Nabil
Araby, would not be seeking re-election to the court. The
Arab seat, she said, would likely be contested by candidates
from Algeria and Morocco.


2. During the May 12 meeting, Sabry - while implying no
linkage or trading of support - asked if the U.S. would
support Egypt's candidacy to UNESCO, which she said Egypt had
requested recently from Washington in writing. Post has
since received a copy in Arabic of the Egyptian diplomatic
note pertaining to the UNESCO candidacy and will forward to
the Department in a separate message.


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GRAY