EGYPT: UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 003756 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EG SUBJECT: EGYPT: UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES REF: A. STATE 78740 ¶B. STATE 91509 Classified by ECPO Counselor John Desrocher for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Coordinating with Australian Embassy colleagues (New Zealand does not have an Embassy in Egypt) on reftel demarche, emboff met June 15 with MFA Human Rights Affairs Office Director Ihab Gamaleddin to discuss the draft UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIP). Drawing from reftel background and talking points, emboff communicated to Gamaleddin that the U.S. does not support the current "compromise" text which was released by the Chair of the Working Group, and brought to Egypt's attention problematic draft language seeking to alter currently-undefined language on self-determination and indigenous peoples. ¶2. (C) Responding, Gamaleddin sought additional clarity on the status of the negotiations, and questioned the procedural anomalies addressed by reftel. Egypt, he said, would not support moving forward on a such a Declaration if the proper procedural actions were not followed. Nevertheless, Gamaledin and deputy Mai Khalil pointed out that Egypt did not pay a great deal of attention to this subject since Egypt had no "indigenous peoples." Poloff made the additional point that Washington felt very strongly that no substantive decisions on this issue should be taken at the upcoming inaugural session of the UN Human Rights Council starting June 19, as some states apparently desire. RICCIARDONE