EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON HIS PERSONAL SUPPORT

UNCLAS CAIRO 004023

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SCUL KOLY EG KBIO
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON HIS PERSONAL SUPPORT
FOR NEW YORK'S OLYMPIC BID


Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.

(SBU) During a May 25 meeting with the Charge, Foreign
Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit shared his views on New York
City's chances for winning the International Olympic
Committee's (IOC) vote to become the host-city for the 2012
Olympic Games. Aboul Gheit said he had recently sent
Egyptian Olympic Committee Chairman General Thabet a personal
letter expressing his strong support for New York's bid. He
felt New York City ("my city," he said emphatically) would
unfortunately lose out to Paris for three reasons: first,
U.S. travel restrictions on foreigners were simply too
difficult and scrutinizing; second, Aboul Gheit felt that
IOC members would want to "tweak" the U.S. by voting against
its bid on political grounds; and third, Paris already had
all the facilities in place. Citing numerous stories of
friendliness and generosity of New Yorkers and Americans that
he had encountered personally while living in New York, Aboul
Gheit hoped his prediction on the outcome of the IOC vote was
incorrect. (Note: Aboul Gheit served as Egypt's United
Nations permrep from 1999-2004. End note.)


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GRAY