AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON EGYPTIAN INTERIOR MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 007155

SIPDIS

NSC STAFF FOR POUNDS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/13/2015
TAGS: PGOV PTER ASEC EG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON EGYPTIAN INTERIOR MINISTER
ADLY

Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

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Summary
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1. (C) In his September 12 introductory call on Egyptian
Interior Minister General Habib el-Adly, the Ambassador
expressed enthusiasm for the strong working-level cooperation
between various USG agencies and the MOI. The Ambassador
congratulated the Minister on the success of GOE security
forces in protecting the September 7 elections and averting
any serious incidents. Adly expressed concern that the
upcoming parliamentary elections, which have historically
been difficult to secure, will pose greater challenges. The
Ambassador underlined the extent of U.S. and international
interest in the upcoming parliamentary elections and proposed
that the GOE consider relocating those polling places
currently in police stations to more neutral venues. Adly
agreed, and suggested that he would lobby for it. Some are
speculating that Adly, who has had several serious terrorist
incidents occur on his watch in the past year, could lose his
seat should Mubarak shuffle his cabinet after his
inauguration on September 27. End summary.

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Building on Strong Cooperation
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2. (C) The Ambassador paid his first call on Egyptian
Interior Minister General Habib el-Adly on September 12. The
Ambassador introduced country team members who work closely
with the Ministry on various security-related issues. Acting
Legal Attache and DEA Country Attache each thanked Adly for
the strong cooperation they enjoy with their MOI counterparts
handling criminal and terrorism investigations and narcotics
enforcement matters. The Ambassador also noted that the
Embassy's Consular Section works very closely with MOI,
particularly on sensitive and sometimes tragic issues such as
international parental abduction.


3. (C) Introducing the newly arrived RSO, the Ambassador
thanked Interior Minister Adly in particular for the
considerable resources the GOE devotes to protecting USG
personnel and facilities in Egypt. Adly said he was firmly
committed to protecting U.S. interests in Egypt and was a
strong supporter of MOI's close working-level cooperation
with the USG. The Minister agreed with the Ambassador that
both sides should seize opportunities to build on this
already strong cooperation. (Note: Some are speculating that
Adly, who has had several serious terrorist incidents occur
on his watch in the past year, could lose his seat should
Mubarak shuffle his cabinet after his inauguration on
September 27. End note.)

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Elections Security Hurdle Passed...
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4. (C) The Ambassador congratulated the Minister on the
management of security for the September 7 presidential
election. Contrary to some dire predictions, there was no
serious violence either during the campaign or on election
day. By and large, security forces acted with restraint and
impartiality, reflecting credit on both the Ministry of
Interior and on Egypt as a whole, the Ambassador noted.


5. (C) Thanking the Ambassador for these comments, Adly
lamented that the security forces are often scape-goated when
incidents occur and opined that securing the presidential
elections had posed a daunting challenge. He asserted that
police had acted with significant self-discipline and
restraint on numerous occasions in recent weeks, when "bad
elements" affiliated with the opposition had tried their best
to provoke them.

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...But Parliamentary Polls Present New Challenges
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6. (C) Continuing, Adly admitted he was worried about the
coming parliamentary elections, expected in three stages in
November (dates TBA). The parliamentary elections often
involve fierce local rivalries and have historically been
difficult to secure, with clashes and even exchanges of
gunfire and acts of arson not unheard of in the past. The
Ambassador told the Minister that the international community
would be closely focused on the coming parliamentary
elections and wished Egypt every success in conducting a
process that was not only secure, but fair and transparent.

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One Way to Improve the Process
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7. (C) The Ambassador flagged for Adly one of the
observations made by the assessment teams deployed by the
National Democratic Institute and the International
Republican Institute to watch the September 7 presidential
elections. Members of both teams noted that a number of
polling places across Egypt were located in police stations.
The Ambassador explained that, in the view of international
elections experts, police stations do not make good polling
places because voters may associate them with the regime and
be afraid to vote against the government.


8. (C) Adly noted that the selection of venues for polling
places was a perennial problem for the GOE, as many districts
lacked suitable public facilities. Nonetheless, Adly
continued, he agreed that police stations were not an ideal
choice and said he would recommend that other venues be
found, though he implied that he did not have final say in
the matter.

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Comment
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9. (C) Technically, it will fall to the still unconstituted
parliamentary elections commission to identify venues for
polling places, but MOI, which has administered all previous
elections and which continues to supply manpower and
administrative support, will clearly have a say. While the
GOE may find it difficult to relocate those polling places
currently in police stations, enlisting the Minister's
support on this issue is a step forward. End comment.


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