(U) MUBARAK AND JORDANIAN KING ABDULLAH DISCUSS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 003818

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL MEPN PTER EG JO IS
SUBJECT: (U) MUBARAK AND JORDANIAN KING ABDULLAH DISCUSS
HAMAS, MUSLIM BROTHERS, SYRIA, IRAN; ASAD POSTPONES AGAIN

Classified by Ambassador Francis Ricciardone for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Soliman Awad
shared with the Ambassador June 19 scant detail regarding
Mubarak's June 18 meeting with King Abdullah. The two
leaders reportedly focused primarily on the Palestinian
situation, sharing identical views on Hamas. They compared
notes on managing the Muslim Brotherhood in their respective
countries. They discussed how to curtail Iranian influence
in the region, with particular concern for the "Shiite
crescent." In this context, Abdullah raised his "tense
relations" with Syria. They discussed how to loosen Syria
from the Iranian embrace.


2. (C) Awad denied media "rumors" that Mubarak planned to
host Abdullah and Asad (and/or Abbas) in Egypt this week. In
fact, Asad, having moved forward his planned Cairo visit from
June 20 to June 19, has now postponed it until "next week."
Mubarak was "cooly" accepting Asad's repeated meeting and
rescheduling requests, rather than taking the initiative to
invite Asad.
RICCIARDONE