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.
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