NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT MINISTERIAL FOCUSED MORE ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 003155 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC UNGA EFIN EG SUBJECT: NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT MINISTERIAL FOCUSED MORE ON UN REFORMS THAN SUPPORT FOR IRAN REF: A. STATE 83898 (NOTAL) ¶B. STATE 83239 (NOTAL) Clasified by ECPO Counselor John Desrocher for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) MFA UN Affairs Officer Karim Sherif told emboff May 25 that Egypt would not support the issuance of any statements at the upcoming Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) ministerial in Malaysia supportive of Iranian positions vis-a-vis its nuclear program. Egypt's positions toward Iran, he said, should by now be clear to Washington. ¶2. (C) Sherif said that Egypt would be represented at the gathering by MFA Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affairs Ambassador Naella Gabr. Sherif assured emboff that the talking points on UN reform and Iran, left as non-papers, would be transmitted to Gabr in Malaysia, as she had already departed Cairo for the meeting. On UN reform, Sherif said there would be a meeting of G-77 nations and China on the margins of the NAM gathering, and efforts would be made to consolidate member-state positions on key reform issues being discussed currently in New York. On mandate reviews, Sherif said that the Egyptian MFA had just finished its own internal review of UN mandates and had sent an instruction cable to its mission in New York. The mission, he said, was empowered to "be flexible" but to ensure that Egypt's concerns over Palestine and development-related mandates were protected. Egypt welcomed specific proposals from the USG on how working-level experts might best approach the mandate review process. Overall, Sherif was optimistic on prospects for overcoming the ongoing UN funding debate, citing the creation of a Peace-Building Commission, a Human Rights Council, and expected progress on mandate review as laudable achievements. RICCIARDONE