UNSCR 1718 WILL DEFINE EGYPT'S NORTH KOREA POLICY

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006459 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC PNUK PTER EG NK SUBJECT: UNSCR 1718 WILL DEFINE EGYPT'S NORTH KOREA POLICY FOLLOWING NUCLEAR TEST REF: A. STATE 172816 ¶B. CAIRO 6236 (NOTAL) Classified by Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs William Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered ref A demarche on October 17 to MFA Cabinet Advisor for Asian Affairs Moataz Al Zahran, stressing USG concerns over North Korea's test of a nuclear device, and the importance of strict implementation of UNSCR 1718. Poloff emphasized resolution language on prevention of material and technology transfers to/from the DPRK. Egypt's official position, Zahran replied, was reflected in an October 9 statement by FM Aboul Gheit (text at paragraph four),in which he called for restraint, worried about damage to the global nonproliferation regime, and noted the importance of the 6-Party talks (Aboul Gheit also takes a swipe at Israel). Egyptian policy, he added, will be defined by UNSCR 1718 - "to which we are bound." Egypt's relationship with Pyongyang, he said, is at a "stand-still" (ref B). ¶2. (C) Asked about the nature of Egypt's ties with North Korea, Zahran said that MFA Assistant Minister for Asian Affairs, Ali Hefny, had been scheduled to visit Pyongyang last June but had postponed the visit until late this year. That visit, Zahran speculated, would likely be scrubbed. Japan's current Prime Minister, he added, had earlier asked Egypt to play a mediation role between Tokyo and Pyongyang on the issue of abducted Japanese in North Korea. Egypt was willing to offer its assistance, but now assumed the issue was irrelevant. (Note: Japanese Embassy PolCouns downplayed any serious Egyptian role on this issue during an October 17 discussion with poloff, saying that the GOJ had asked "many states" which maintained ties with Pyongyang to help with the abductee issue. End note) ¶3. (C) Responding to a question on an earlier report of Egyptian food donations to the North, Moataz said that Egypt "two or three years ago" had donated Egyptian-grown rice to the North Koreans, delivering the food (NFI on amounts) via a North Korean vessel passing through Egypt. A second donation of rice to the North Koreans, he said, was made "last year." ¶4. (U) Text of 10/09/06 Egyptian MFA statement on NK nuclear test: Begin text of MFA statement (found in English on MFA website): October 9, 2006 In a statement by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit regarding the announcement by North Korea regarding its carrying out of a nuclear test on 9 October 2006, the minister pointed out that Egypt is following up with concern the developments on the Korean Peninsula, and that a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear crisis is the optimal method to reach a settlement that satisfies all parties. Aboul Gheit also called upon all countries in the region to maintain self restraint, and not to rush into taking measures that might increase tension in the region. Aboul Gheit highlighted that the Six-Party process is the most appropriate mechanism to end the current crisis, and that there are positive results achieved by this mechanism since its establishment that can be built upon. The Minister also called for resuming these talks and called upon North Korea to immediately return to them. Aboul Gheit affirmed that Egypt is completely against nuclear explosions and any other measure that might affect international peace and security or that contradicts with the rules of the non-proliferation system. The Minister also pointed out that the latest developments in the Peninsula are considered a relapse to the whole non-proliferation system. Aboul Gheit stated that the developments in the Korean Peninsula illustrate how important it is for the international community to take effective steps, the most important of which is achieving the universality of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and establishing a nuclear weapons-free zone, not only in the Korean Peninsula but also in the Middle East which is suffering from a dangerous security imbalance as a result of the refusal of one country, namely Israel, to join the treaty and to subject its nuclear activities to the Comprehensive IAEA Safeguards System. End text. JONES