ABOUL GHEIT URGES U.S. SUPPORT FOR LEBANON

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 007124

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (TEXT PARA 4)

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2011
TAGS: PREL PHUM PTER UNSC IR IZ EG LE SY
SUBJECT: ABOUL GHEIT URGES U.S. SUPPORT FOR LEBANON
TRIBUNAL, WARNS AGAINST ENGAGEMENT WITH IRAN, SYRIA


Classified By: Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone for reasons
1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and the
Ambassador discussed Iraq, Iran, Syria and Lebanon in a
December 12 meeting. Aboul Gheit strongly cautioned the U.S.
not to engage Iran or Syria under current circumstances and
repeated his call for the U.S. to "destroy the Iraqi
militias." He reaffirmed Mubarak's standing invitation for
PM Maliki (as well as President Talibani) to visit, but said
Mubarak never issues formal or written invitations, as
Baghdad seemed to want as a matter of protocol. On Lebanon,
Aboul Gheit said that during Amre Moussa's December 12 visit
to Beirut, the Arab League SYG hopes to salvage and resolve
details for a "package" that was compromised because it was
prematurely released. If the Government of Lebanon cannot
proceed with the Hariri tribunal, "then the UNSC must act"
to try the case in another venue. End summary.


2. (C) Aboul Gheit told the Ambassador on December 12 that
the U.S. should not involve Iran in the Iraq discussions in
the present environment. Calling the proposal (of the Iraq
Study Group) "stupid," Aboul Gheit said asking Iran to
moderate activities in Iraq while they continue with their
nuclear program will only empower them. The situation with
Syria is the same, he said, explaining that both countries
would charge "a price" for their cooperation. The U.S.
should be bold in confronting both nations, laying out in
specific terms what they must do, he said. Aboul Gheit
cautioned, however, that Egypt does not support either an
invasion or covert activities.


3. (C) Aboul Gheit called for urgent action to control the
Iraqi militias, warning that absent this, there will be civil
war. The U.S. cannot rely on the Iraqi government because
they are involved with militias as well. "PM Maliki is one
of them," he said. If necessary, "the U.S. should send a
division to take Baghdad and destroy the militias." If the
militias can be controlled, the Iraqi people will fight the
insurgency, he predicted. President Mubarak welcomes Iraqi
leaders but "it is not our practice ever to extend formal
invitations to anyone," Aboul Gheit clarified. If Maliki or
Talibani want to come, they need only to express an interest
and suggest two dates; Egypt will respond, Aboul Gheit said.
He remarked with some annoyance at having made arrangements
for Mubarak to receive Talibani today, December 12, only to
have Talibani cancel just two days before. Aboul Gheit said
he had no news on a possible Iraqi Ambassador to Egypt
because the Iraqis cannot agree on a nominee. FM Zebari had
promised to nominate one as long ago as October 2005 when
Aboul Gheit met him in Bahrain. Aboul Gheit said he does not
meet with the Iraqi Charge because he "do(es) not know his
(factional) allegiances."


4. (C) On Lebanon, Aboul Gheit said Amre Moussa was
traveling to Beirut today at Siniora's request to salvage the
deal that was compromised by its premature disclosure before
finalization. (He named and implicitly disparaged Sudanese
emissary Mustafa Osman for this result.) "The Syrians must
be stopped," Aboul Gheit said. "If the GOL cannot proceed
with the Hariri tribunal on its own, then the UN must act to
try the case before the ICJ, or another special tribunal."
However, he said, Egypt had raised the possibility of an
international tribunal with Chirac, who said the Russians
would not go along because of Chechnya. But Mubarak had
rejoined that the Russians could always veto any UNSC action
on a Chechnya tribunal, hence there could be no valid Russian
concern over precedent.
RICCIARDONE