EGYPTIAN AND ARAB LEAGUE REACTION TO MURDER OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 009254 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EG SY LE SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN AND ARAB LEAGUE REACTION TO MURDER OF LEBANESE POLITICIAN GIBRAN TUENI REF: STATE 223709 Classified by ECPO Minister Counselor Michael Corbin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Post conveyed reftel demarche December 13 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Arab League, calling for prompt condemnations of the December 12 murder of Lebanese politician Gibran Tueni and strong support to the Government of Lebanon. MFA Cabinet staff member Amr Sherbiny welcomed copies of the President's and Secretary's statements on the attack, but noted that the Government of Egypt had yet to make any official statement. He offered that a statement was currently in the drafting stage, but that it was unclear under whose name (the Ministry, or the Presidency) the statement would be issued. Post has yet to locate any official GOE reaction to the attack in local media outlets, but notes that the topic has been covered factually by the state and opposition media and discussed widely on local TV talk shows. Sherbiny offered no substantive comment on the potential expansion of the UNIIIC mandate to include Tueni,s murder. ¶2. (C) Post also shared the USG statements condemning the attack with Arab League Press Secretary Alaa Rushdy, and called for similarly strong statements from the League and the Secretary General. Rushdy shared that Secretary General Moussa, in Doha on official business, had publicly condemned the attack during a press conference December 12, offering condolences to Tueni's family, and calling for an investigation to find and prosecute those responsible for his murder. Since Moussa has already commented publicly on the matter, the League does not plan on issuing a written statement. However, Moussa will travel to Beirut December 14 for Tueni's funeral, where he is expected to meet with the Lebanese Prime Minister and other senior Lebanese political figures. Moussa will then visit Damascus on Thursday, December 15, to meet with senior Syrian officials. RICCIARDONE