EGYPTIAN RESPONSE TO 2007 TIP REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 001776

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ELA, G/TIP, DRL/CRA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ELAB SMIG KCRM KWMN EG
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN RESPONSE TO 2007 TIP REPORT

REF: STATE 79554

Classified by ECPO Counselor Catherine Hill-Herndon for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) MFA's working-level official responsible for
Trafficking in Persons, First Secretary Amira Fahmy, told
poloff in a June 11 meeting that the GOE was displeased that
the 2007 TIP report (reftel) said that some Egyptian cities
may be "sex tourism" destinations. Poloff explained that
this statement was based on the widely accepted phenomenon
whereby adult male tourists from the Gulf states visit Cairo
for the purpose of contracting temporary marriages, which are
reported to be a cover for prostitution, sometimes involving
females under age 18. Fahmy agreed that by this definition,
Egypt did have a problem requiring attention by the GOE, but
said that the TIP report will likely generate significant and
negative media attention locally. "After all," she said,
"Egypt is not Thailand."


2. (C) Fahmy reviewed with poloff recent GOE steps to
combat trafficking, including the continued engagement on TIP
by First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, the new draft child protection
law (which is reported to include an anti-trafficking
component),and a Cairo conference planned for late June to
address national concerns about violence against children,
including trafficking. Fahmy also noted that the GOE had
formally commenced meetings of its new inter-ministerial
committee to combat trafficking. Poloff noted that the USG
is eager to see additional progress in the GOE's fight
against trafficking, and emphasized that without additional
significant progress against trafficking in 2007-8, Egypt
runs a serious risk of being downgraded to Tier 3 in 2008.
JONES