SYRIA/LEBANON: EGYPT CONSIDERING IMPLICATIONS OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 009313

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EG LE SY UNSC
SUBJECT: SYRIA/LEBANON: EGYPT CONSIDERING IMPLICATIONS OF
NEXT STEPS ON HARIRI PROBE

REF: STATE 225178

Classified by ECPO Minister Counselor Michael Corbin for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) The Charge delivered reftel demarche to Presidential
Spokesman Soliman Awad December 15, sharing the draft UN
Security Council resolution on the Hariri murder
investigation and calling for a strong Egyptian role in
supporting Lebanon's request for an expanded/extended mandate
for the UN International Independent Investigation Commission
(UNIIC). Awad offered little substantive response, other
than to note that Egypt was closely following developments
with respect to Syria and Lebanon. Awad committed to sharing
the USG message with the President. During the same
conversation, Awad was receptive to the Charge's request that
Egypt make strong public statements of support for the Iraqi
political process shortly after the December 15 national
elections.


2. (C) Post also delivered reftel demarche December 15 to
MFA Cabinet staffer Amr Sherbiny and to the Arab League
Secretariat Chief of Staff Hesham Youssef. Youssef faxed the

SIPDIS
draft US-UK-French sponsored UNSC resolution to Moussa in
Damascus, and shared the gist of the USG call for support for
the Lebanese government, ahead of the Secretary General's
meetings with Bashar Asad and Syrian FM Sharaa. Youssef had
not yet received a readout of Moussa's meetings in Beirut or
Damascus. MFA Cabinet staffer Sherbiny had little to say on
the ongoing UNSC debate over an expanded/extended UNIIC
mandate but promised to convey the USG demarche to his
Minister.


JONES