AMBASSADOR'S 10/29 MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 008275

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2015
TAGS: EG PREL SY
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S 10/29 MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER
ABOUL GHEIT


Classified By: Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

Subject: Egypt: Ambassador,s 10/29 Meeting with Foreign
Minister Aboul Gheit


1. (C)Summary: Ambassador met with FM Aboul Gheit on October

29. Sticking close to the brief he gave the Secretary on
October 28, the FM reported on President Mubarak,s trip to
Syria. He repeated that the Asad regime had indicated a
readiness to change its behavior, including on Iraq, but
worried that the USG was putting too much pressure on Syria.
The Ambassador replied that pressure was warranted, a point
on which the Egyptian government has agreed in numerous
consultations. Aboul Gheit praised the Israeli MinDef Mowfaz
visit and predicted swift progress on opening the border
crossing at Rafah. On MDA, the Foreign Minister insisted
that Egypt was not blocking progress and that a process well
under way. He had met with Swiss Foreign Minister earlier in
the day; she would meet with the parties in Ramalla on
October 30. Aboul Gheit also welcomed the visit of Iraqi
NSA in November and reported that he will attend only the
opening dinner of the Forum for the Future in Bahrain on
November 11 but will miss the meeting on the 12th.

Mubarak's Trip to Syria


2. (C) Ambassador met on October 29, Foreign Minister Ahmed
Aboul Gheit, fresh from his brief trip to Syria with
President Mubarak the previous day. Noting the series of
communications late on Thursday evening between the GOE and
the Embassy and later the Department urging Mubarak not to
go, Aboul Gheit insisted that the trip had been swift,
low-key and had provided no succor for the Asad regime.
Recapping Mubarak's demands -- cooperation on the Mehlis
investigation, stopping the foreign fighters from entering
Iraq, hands-off in Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority --
he claimed that Syria had indicated a "readiness" to move
forward. As in his conversation with the Secretary, Aboul
Gheit was unable to point to any specific commitments by
Assad to change Syrian behavior, but he maintained that
Mubarak's message elicited a "readiness" by the Asad regime
to change.


3. (C) On the draft UNSC resolution under discussion in New
York, Aboul Gheit professed vague objections that it put too
much pressure on the Syrians. For example, he complained the
language in Op Para 3, which would freeze the funds of
individuals suspected by the Commission of involvement with
the Hariri assassination or those held by entities owned or
controlled, directly or indirectly. Does this mean, the FM
queried that if Farouk Shara comes under investigation, the
international community would be obliged to freeze all assets
held by the Syrian Foreign Ministry? The Ambassador replied
that the pressure was warranted and needed at this time. The
Egyptian government has agreed on this point in several
conversations. We saw nothing inappropriate in the draft; if
the Syrian Chief of Intelligence has assets in Lebanon --
public or private -- why shouldn,t they be seized? In any
nation conducted under the rule of law, credible allegations
of conspiracy to commit murder would precipitate a
resignation from high office.

Mowfaz Visit


4. (C) Aboul Gheit praised the recent visit of Israeli Minister
of Defense Mowfaz on October 27, visit as excellent. Noting
that it fell prior to the Hadera bombing, he said that the
Israelis had committed to moving forward quickly on Rafah.
He boasted that the Egyptians are ready now to open the
border crossing at Rafah at any time, but had promised not to
move forward without Israeli concurrence. Pressed for a
date when Rafah might open, the FM referred the Ambassador to
EGIS Director Omar Soliman, but added it would be soon.
(Note: Ambassador will meet with Soliman on October 30.) He
reported that the Israelis would, as expected, insist on a
third party observer at Rafah. He refused to say that the
third party would be the EU. Aboul Gheit also praised
Quartet Representative James Wolfensohn,s recent remarks
about delays on progress in Gaza as very useful.

Mowafaq Al Rubaie


5. (C) Ambassador noted that Iraqi National Security Advisor
Mowafaq Al Rubaie would visit Cairo November 9-10 as a guest
of EGIS Director Omar Soliman. We hoped that the Foreign
Minister would see him as well. Aboul Gheit readily agreed.
Pressed on the status of the appointment of an Iraqi
ambassador to Cairo, the FM said that he was waiting for Iraq
FM Zebari to send him a new name.

MDA


6. (C) Aboul Gheit pushed back hard on the Ambassador's
suggestion that Egypt was blocking progress on MDA. He said
he had issued clear instructions to Geneva: "We are not
obstructing but we are working in the context of the Arab
group and we have to follow the group." He added that he had
just met with the Swiss Foreign Ministry earlier in the same
day. He said the issue has now boiled down to process; she
had told him that the Israeli government should provide the
Palestinian Authority with a letter with clear language on
exactly how the MDA emblem would be (not) be used in the
occupied territories. There will be an iftar in Ramallah
tomorrow to discuss the issue. The PA was insisting on a
commitment from the Israeli government, not just from MDA.
The Israelis, he reported, are also looking for an exception
for allowing the emblem to be used in the territories in the
case of an emergency or natural disaster but he predicted
that this exception would not be granted.


7. (C) Returning to the issue of Egypt's role, the FM said that
"too many games are being played on this issue. Egypt is
being blamed unfairly. We do not want to see the 'star' used
in the occupied territories, this would set a precedent that
these territories are still contested. But we will not
block; we will not incite."

Forum for the Future


8. (C) Aboul Gheit said that he plans to attend the official
dinner on the eve of Forum for the Future in Bahrain, on
November 11, but will not stay for the meeting on November

12. He said he was doing this "as a courtesy to the Bahraini
hosts."








RICCIARDONE