Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CAIRO269
2006-01-18 16:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:  

EGYPTIAN POSITION ON POSSIBLE IAEA REFERRAL OF

Tags:  KNNP IS IR EG IAEA UNSC 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000269 

SIPDIS

ROME FOR MFO (LAROCCO)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2016
TAGS: KNNP IS IR EG IAEA UNSC
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN POSITION ON POSSIBLE IAEA REFERRAL OF
IRAN TO THE UNSC

REF: A. CAIRO 258

B. CAIRO 224

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000269

SIPDIS

ROME FOR MFO (LAROCCO)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2016
TAGS: KNNP IS IR EG IAEA UNSC
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN POSITION ON POSSIBLE IAEA REFERRAL OF
IRAN TO THE UNSC

REF: A. CAIRO 258

B. CAIRO 224

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


1. (C) Summary: Following the visits of Vice President
Cheney and IO Assistant Secretary Silverberg, the GOE
position on IAEA referral of Iran to the UNSC is still
evolving. While GOE statements suggest some positive
movement, Egypt continues to raise regional concerns and its
desire for a Middle East zone free of WMD. End summary.


2. (C) After the January 17 and 18 visits of Vice President
Cheney and IO Assistant Secretary Silverberg, Foreign
Minister Aboul Gheit and Presidential Spokesman Soliman Awwad
made public statements on the upcoming IAEA Board of
Governors meeting to discuss referring Iran to the UNSC.
According to press reports and the MFA (full text below in
para four),Aboul Gheit said dialogue is the best way to
resolve the matter, but noted that the GOE is dealing with
the Iranian issue from a "technical and legal perspective" in
accordance with the IAEA and NPT obligations. Awwad said
(Ref A) that "Egypt calls for continuing the (international)
dialogue with Iran through diplomatic channels."


3. (C) Comment: Although both Awwad and Aboul Gheit were
non-committal on Egyptian support for an IAEA decision to
refer Iran to the UNSC, Aboul Gheit's statement rejecting the
existence of another nuclear power in the region could be a
positive sign. In addition, in a recent meeting (septel)
with the Ambassador on January 16, PM Nazif, while expressing
concerns about Israel, told the Ambassador that he did not
like "the company" Egypt is keeping on the Iran matter.
These various statements support the comment made by MFA's
Disarmament Office Director Hossam Aly (Ref B) that Egypt
realizes that the international community is leaning towards
a decision to refer Iran to the UNSC and that Egypt's
ultimate decision on GOE support for referral will depend on
the text negotiated at the upcoming Board of Governors
meeting. End comment.


4. (U) The Foreign Ministry released the below statement
regarding the Iran/IAEA matter to the press following FM
Aboul Gheit's January 17 meeting with IO Assistant Secretary

Silverberg.

Begin Embassy translation of statement:

Egypt is following these developments closely. It has been
eager from the start of the discussions within the IAEA Board
(in 2003) to guarantee all countries' commitment to their
obligations and to allow the international community to
verify the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program.
Egypt does not accept the emergence of a military nuclear
power in the region. Egypt is also eager to ensure the
rights of countries to benefit from the peaceful use of
nuclear energy (as allowed by the NPT).

Aboul Gheit added that Egypt's concern about the Iranian
nuclear issue is derived from its eagerness to support all
efforts to prevent nuclear non-proliferation, not only
regionally, but also internationally. Egypt has a leading
position in the field of the non-proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction (mainly nuclear arms). Its membership in
the IAEA Board of Governors obliges it to fully uphold the
responsibilities of such membership concerning the highly
sensitive issues of non-proliferation because these issues
are closely connected to achieving international peace and
security.

Aboul Gheit explained that Egypt is dealing with the Iranian
nuclear issue from the technical and legal perspective -- a
position that requires Egypt to consider and evaluate the
opinion of the IAEA Director, since the IAEA is the technical
authority in charge of ensuring the commitment to promises
under the agreement of guarantees signed between Iran and the
IAEA.

He indicated that Egypt would like to reiterate that the IAEA
Board of Governors had issued a resolution on September 24,
2005, stipulating in its first procedural item, that Iran is
not fulfilling its obligations under the NPT. However, the
Board did not refer the issue to the UNSC in order to give
all parties the opportunity to reach an acceptable settlement
of the Iranian issue.

Aboul Gheit confirmed that Egypt still holds to its position
that dialogue is the best method to settle the current crisis
and that there are many factors that may help to settle it.
For example, the Russian proposals could be shaped in a way
to satisfy the interests of all parties. Also, the
negotiating framework between the EU3 and Iran (in place
since 2003) may lead to an acceptable settlement, if the will
exists.

Aboul Gheit stressed that the rapid escalation of
developments on the Iranian nuclear issue shows once again
the importance of the Egyptian initiative on a Middle East
free of WMD, mainly nuclear arms. There is no longer any
doubt that the initiative is becoming more important than at
any time before. It is time the international community
takes practical steps to implement this initiative according
to a timetable, without a selective policy. The foremost of
these steps is that Israel should join the NPT and submit all
of its nuclear establishments to inspection under the IAEA.

He stressed that Egypt will not accept the pursuit of a
double standard policy or the indifference to its interests
unless the international community is ready to bear the
consequences of its policies.

Aboul Gheit noted that Egypt does not want to make early
assumptions about the situation since the Egyptian position
will depend on the nature of the deliberations that will be
conducted in the exceptional meeting of the IAEA Board of
Governors, which has not yet been scheduled. It is also
premature to predict the result of this meeting without
considering the diplomatic efforts within the geographical
groups before and during the meeting, as well as the
resolution which will be proposed, after which the final
positions of all 35 members of the Board, including Egypt,
will be determined.

End translation of text.

RICCIARDONE