EGYPT COMMITTED TO IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1737;

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 007232 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/26/2016 TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP MNUC UNSC EG IR SUBJECT: EGYPT COMMITTED TO IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1737; REJECTS IRANIAN PRESIDENT'S "NUCLEAR POWER" STATEMENT REF: STATE 202585 Classified by ECPO Counselor Catherine Hill-Herndon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche on December 24 to MFA Disarmament Affairs Office Director Hossam Aly, seeking Egyptian reactions to the passage of UN Security Council Resolution 1737 and its likely impact on Iran's nuclear activities. Aly believed the final resolution language was carefully constructed to leave Iran with enough political "room" with which to negotiate further with the P-5/Germany and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Aly said he was glad to see Iran did not kick out IAEA inspectors as a result of the UN resolution, as some feared would happen. Nevertheless, he stated, it is clear that Iran will not stop its enrichment activities as a result of sanctions. Aly queried whether states would be required to submit reports on implementation of UNSCR 1737, similar to language contained within the latest UN resolution of North Korea. Egypt, he concluded, has a "high awareness" of its international obligations regarding UNSC resolutions, and is "keen to implement" the Council's Iran resolution. Aly said he would bring the U.S. demarche to the attention of his minister, and the UN resolution itself to the attention of "national authorities" dealing with the topic. ¶2. (SBU) On December 25, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit released a press statement rebuking recent comments by Iranian President Ahmadinejad boasting that Iran was now a "nuclear power." Aboul Gheit said that such language should be used only by states with a nuclear weapon. The Egyptian statement went on to say that "possession by some countries of peaceful nuclear technology, or some of the stages of the nuclear cycle, or carrying out some peaceful nuclear activities, does not mean in any way that it can call itself a nuclear state." The minister's statement comes amid growing GOE concern over Iran's expanding regional influence and nuclear ambitions. RICCIARDONE