EGYPT HOSTS SENIOR FRENCH, SPANISH, AND ITALIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006381

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR WATERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MEPN UNSC KPAL EG IS FR SP IT
SUBJECT: EGYPT HOSTS SENIOR FRENCH, SPANISH, AND ITALIAN
DIPLOMATS FOR CONSULTATIONS ON THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS

Classified By: Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs
William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Italian and French Embassy officials offered separate
readouts on October 16 of a gathering in Cairo of senior
diplomats from Rome, Paris, and Madrid the day before to
discuss the Middle East peace process and related topics.
Italian Embassy First Secretary Lamberto Moruzzi and French
Embassy First Secretary Etienne Chapon told poloff the idea
for the meeting of the Deputy Directors General for Middle
East Affairs with their Egyptian counterparts resulted from a
meeting between Spanish FM Moratinos and Egyptian FM Aboul
Gheit on the margins of the UN General Assembly. According
to the French and Italian diplomats, the Spanish pressed for
agreement on a joint statement on the peace process for an
October 27 Euro-Med Forum meeting in Alicante, Spain, but
were rebuffed.


2. (C) Our Italian and French colleagues were unsure why
Spain, France, and Italy were invited while other Europeans
(i.e., Greece, which complained) were excluded. Noting that
the three Europeans were principle contributors to an
expanded UNIFIL in Lebanon, and all were keen for progress on
the peace process, Chapon speculated that Madrid hoped to
position itself as host for any international conference on
the Israel-Palestinian issue. Moruzzi volunteered that they
did not agree to form a new group, and would brief Israel and
other European states "to ensure maximum transparency."
While the Egyptians and Europeans recognized the importance
of Washington's role in reaching final resolution of the
Arab-Israeli conflict, he said, they agreed that momentum in
the peace process must be created as Washington is
"distracted and unable to take decisive steps."


3. (C) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chief of Cabinet Wafaa
Bassim, the Assistant Minister for European Affairs Fatma al
Zahran, and Cabinet Advisor Ezzedine Shukry hosted the group.
Minister Aboul Gheit also met the group for roughly 30
minutes. In addition to their MFA colleagues, the French and
Italians met separately with Arab League Secretary General
Amre Moussa. While Lebanon was discussed both at the MFA and
the Arab League, little substantive discussion ensued. The
French diplomat noted disagreement between his government and
that of Spain and Italy over engagement with Syrian President
Asad. Madrid and Rome support talks with Asad (as evidenced
by the recent Moratinos visit to Damascus) while Paris sees
no value in engagement at this time. Chapon said the issue
of threats to the government of Lebanese PM Seniora by Syria
and its proxies in Lebanon was not raised.
JONES