MDA DEMARCHE TO EGYPT ON ADDITIONAL GENEVA

UNCLAS CAIRO 008603 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC PHUM PREF PREL IS SZ EG ICRC SUBJECT: MDA DEMARCHE TO EGYPT ON ADDITIONAL GENEVA PROTOCOL REF: STATE 206962 DCM delivered reftel demarche to the MFA's Assistant Minister for American Affairs Aly Al Hefny on November 13. The Assistant Minister listened to the message and promised to convey the points to FM Aboul Gheit and other appropriate offices. He asked if there has been an agreement between the Palestinians and Israelis on the use of the MDA symbol in the "occupied territories." He said he believed there would be no progress on the issue of the MDA until this issue could be resolved. The DCM and PolCouns pushed back that this was a humanitarian issue, not political; that the discussion in Geneva was separate from the discussion of the use of the symbol in the territories. Al Hefny agreed to convey the points to the Foreign Minister and noted the Ambassador had raised the issue with the Minister recently. RICCIARDONE