VISIT OF NEA ASSISTANT SECRETARY WELCH: DEFENSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006414 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV EG SUBJECT: VISIT OF NEA ASSISTANT SECRETARY WELCH: DEFENSE MINISTER CONFIRMS PLANS TO VISIT U.S. Classified by Charge Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) During an August 18 telephone conversation with visiting NEA Assistant Secretary Welch, Egyptian Minister of Defense Tantawi confirmed that he planned to accept an invitation from the U.S. Secretary of Defense to visit Washington. Tantawi said that he intended to travel after the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Welch mentioned that he had recently been in contact with Congressional leaders on the subject of Egypt, and counseled Tantawi to be particularly attentive to Congressional concerns over, and interest in, political developments in Egypt. ¶2. (C) On the subject of Egypt's coming Presidential elections, Welch said that he was in Cairo to discuss a variety of topics with Egyptian officials, including the progress on Egypt's evolving experiment with democracy. He was not in Egypt, Welch joked, to interfere in Egypt's political process. (Note: It is useful for Tantawi - one of Egypt's stalwart old guards - to continue hearing that Washington does not intend to meddle in the details of Egypt's electoral process, but will be watching closely and insisting on fairness, openness, and transparency.) ¶3. (U) This message was cleared by A/S Welch. Visit Embassy Cairo's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/cairo You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. JONES