Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CAIRO6459
2006-10-18 14:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
UNSCR 1718 WILL DEFINE EGYPT'S NORTH KOREA POLICY
how-toVZCZCXYZ0009 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHEG #6459 2911448 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 181448Z OCT 06 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2104 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0123 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0035 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0127
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).
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
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