IO A/S SILVERBERG DISCUSSES UN REFORM WITH MFA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000431 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KPAL EG IS UNGA UNSC SUBJECT: IO A/S SILVERBERG DISCUSSES UN REFORM WITH MFA OFFICIALS Classified by Ambassador Francis Ricciardone for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: IO Assistant Secretary Silverberg discussed UN reform with Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit and Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affairs Naela Gabr on January 16. A/S Silverberg, accompanied by the Ambassador, urged Aboul Gheit to support management reforms and the creation of a reformed, effective Human Rights Council (HRC). Silverberg clarified the USG position on review and elimination of outdated mandates, to which the GOE showed willingness to work to review non-Palestine-related mandates. Aboul Gheit affirmed GOE support for a new HRC that was not smaller than the HR Commission and was not "politicized" (e.g. no country-specific resolutions). He explained that while Egypt looked forward to deepening its dialogue with the U.S. on UN issues, the GOE would determine its positions at the UN based on its national interests and its position as a regional leader. Aboul Gheit said he would instruct his Permanent Representative in NY to seek broader coordination with the US delegation and specifically, to meet in private with the U.S. Permanent Representative. ¶2. (C) Summary continued: During a separate meeting January 16 with Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affairs, Ambassador Naela Gabr, Silverberg heard details of GOE concerns regarding the proposed new Human Rights Council. While committed to UN reform and a close "strategic" relationship with Washington, Egypt opposed a reduction in size for the new Council - apparently driven mostly by concern that such a reduction would make Egyptian membership less likely. Gabr also expressed GOE objection to country specific resolutions, "clean slate" regional candidacies, two-thirds majority voting for membership, and robust NGO participation. End summary. -------------- -------------- FM says National/Regional Interests Drive UN Positions -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Assistant Secretary Silverberg urged Aboul Gheit in their January 16 meeting to work with the U.S. to implement badly needed UN reforms, particularly to create a new Human Rights Council. In response to Aboul Gheit,s claim that Egypt did not fear attention from the HRC, A/S Silverberg pointed out that Egypt was allying itself with countries that were afraid of scrutiny and urged Egypt to exercise leadership to create an effective HRC. She clarified that the U.S. did not seek automatic P-5 inclusion in the Council. ¶4. (C) Aboul Gheit confirmed the GOE's support for the HRC, stressing that it must serve the interests of all (not just the West),and not be used for political purposes to target Cuba, Iran, and Syria. The HRC should, for example, defend the interests of Muslims in Denmark and France, Aboul Gheit offered. Aboul Gheit welcomed the news that the U.S. did not seek automatic membership in the HRC, while noting GOE opposition to a proposed two-thirds majority vote for membership because of its exclusionary impact. ¶5. (C) A/S Silverberg told Aboul Gheit that the U.S. was focused on identifying outdated, unnecessary, and duplicative UN programs. Aboul Gheit said Egypt could not agree to elimination now of any mandates related to Palestine, but welcomed USG proposals to shift resources to other Palestinian programs. On management reform, Aboul Gheit warned against treating the UN like a corporation or a hierarchical structure, rather than a community of 191 nations. Supporting the need for more control in the Fifth Committee, Aboul Gheit warned that the U.S. approach touched the self-respect of sovereign states. While Egypt hoped to deepen its discussions with the U.S., ultimately, national interests, along with its interests as a regional leader, would determine Egypt's positions at the UN. -------------- MFA Senior Staff Challenge USG Positions -------------- ¶6. (C) During a one-hour meeting with A/S Silverberg prior to a meeting with the Foreign Minister, Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affairs Naela Gabr and her senior staff discussed UN reform issues, with the Human Rights Council dominating the discussion. Gabr expressed strong reservations over most U.S. positions toward the Council, stating that even the change of name from Commission to "Council" was troubling, as the suggestion that the Council, i.e., like the "Security Council" would imply domination by a small number of western countries bent on punishing offenders. Egypt, she asserted, could not accept a reduced membership size, since it would make the organization less representative of the world community and more difficult for Egypt to become a member. The US proposals would make it "nearly impossible" for small states "like Zambia" from ever reaching the Council versus regional powers like Zimbabwe. Egypt believed, "like the Swiss," that clean slates should form the basis for regional candidacies. Furthermore, a simple majority membership qualification was preferable to the USG proposal of a two-thirds requirement. ¶7. (C) Gabr, who last headed Egypt's mission in Geneva, complained that the Commission had failed due to the "name and shame" efforts of certain countries - the impact of which was paralysis and ineffectiveness of the organization. Governments must be involved and must be encouraged to improve their performance via training, and other measures that don't seek to embarrass them. Gabr suggested Egypt welcomed a restrained role for NGO's in the new Council, even though Egypt was not afraid of their criticism. This issue could use further study, she added. Gabr also proposed that states draft country reports in lieu of the Secretariat. ¶8. (C) As in her meeting with the Minister, Silverberg made clear that the U.S. could not brook the creation of a body that was different than the current Commission in name only. Such a cosmetic change would be worse than no change at all, she asserted, and was unacceptable to the U.S. Administration, Congress, and public. It was crucial that Egypt not support only cosmetic changes to the Commission, but advocate substantive improvements to the effectiveness of the body. Furthermore, the U.S. expected its friend Egypt, she added, to play a constructive role in facilitating meaningful reform of the UN and blocking those that sought to maintain the status quo. A/S Silverberg clarified that the U.S. did not seek automatic membership to the HRC, and disputed Naela Gabr,s claim that the Swiss proposal plus a simple majority requirement would be more likely to keep countries like Zimbabwe off the HRC than a two-thirds requirement. ¶9. (U) Assistant Secretary Silverberg cleared this cable. RICCIARDONE