CWC: EGYPT SENDING NON-GOVERNMENTAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 004120

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2015
TAGS: PARM AORC EG OPCW CBW CWC
SUBJECT: CWC: EGYPT SENDING NON-GOVERNMENTAL
REPRESENTATIVE TO CYPRUS REGIONAL WORKSHOP OF NON-STATE
PARTIES

REF: A. TEL AVIV 3198

B. STATE 94902

Classified by Economic-Political Counselor John Desrocher for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Poloff discussed ref B demarche with MFA cabinet
member responsible for disarmament Sherif Kamel, who reported
back on May 31 that Egypt would not send a governmental
representative to the OPCW regional workshop in Cyprus June
13-15. Although the GOE would not participate officially, he
noted, Egypt remained very interested in the issues under
discussion and was helping coordinate the participation of a
member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs.


2. (C) Kamel stated that Egypt's non-participation was "not
an issue of lack of interest," but because, without
resolution of regional WMD issues (i.e., issues related to
Israel),the GOE was simply not able to sign the CWC and
therefore chose not to participate directly in these
discussions. Reminded that Israel often took the opportunity
to attend such conferences and that the dialogue/engagement
itself had value, Kamel countered that Egypt proved its firm
commitment to nonproliferation when it signed the NPT and
hoped to make future significant WMD-related commitments
"together" (with Israel).


3. (SBU) Director of the MFA Office of Arms Control and
Disarmament Adel Ibrahim told Poloff June 1 that the MFA had
been approached by six or seven western missions with a
similar demarche on the OPCW workshop.


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GRAY