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elimination of outdated mandates, to which the GOE showed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.

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FM says National/Regional Interests Drive UN Positions
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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.

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MFA Senior Staff Challenge USG Positions
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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