EGYPT DISCUSSING NATIONAL POSITION ON CLUSTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000160 SIPDIS SIPDIS PM/WRA (BAKER) E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2012 TAGS: PARM PREL NATO EG SUBJECT: EGYPT DISCUSSING NATIONAL POSITION ON CLUSTER MUNITIONS REF: STATE 6667 Classified By: Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff discussed the movement to develop a legally binding treaty to restrict the use of cluster munitions (CM) with MFA's Director of Disarmament Dr. Hossam Aly on January ¶22. Dr. Aly said that representatives of several ministries discussed CM at a recent "National Committee" meeting on disarmament issues, but Egypt has not yet developed a consolidated national position. He added that Egypt had not yet been invited to the Oslo conference, but had asked its mission in Oslo to solicit an invitation and plans to send a disarmament expert to the meeting. He was not aware of the April ICRC-sponsored conference in Montreaux. ¶2. (C) Dr. Aly promised to follow up with other concerned ministries on the military implications of the CM ban and to provide insight into this issue at a follow-up meeting within a week. Dr. Aly said that because the Egyptian national position on CM is still under discussion, the GOE may view a proposal for mil-mil discussions as premature. Emboffs will follow up with Ministry of Defense contacts on the proposal for military discussions and report the response separately. RICCIARDONE