MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD MP'S COMPLAIN: WHY WERE WE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 002165 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NSC FOR SINGH AND WATERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KISL EG SUBJECT: MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD MP'S COMPLAIN: WHY WERE WE "EXCLUDED" FROM MEETING WITH CODEL? REF: A. CAIRO 2162 ¶B. CAIRO 1641 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶1. (U) As reported ref A, on July 2, CODEL McCollum (comprised of Representative Betty McCollum (D-WI) and Representative Lincoln Davis (D-TN)),met with parliamentary speaker Fathi Surour and several other MP's. CODEL McCollum was the first in a series of exchange visits between Congress and the Egyptian parliament, organized by an AID grantee tasked with enhancing contacts between the People's Assembly and Congress. ¶2. (U) Unlike the experience of recent CODEL's Hoyer and Price (reftel),no "independent" MB MP's were invited by Speaker Surour to CODEL McCollum's meetings at parliament. A July 7 article in independent daily Al Masry Al Yom, quoted Surour as saying that no MB MP was invited because, "the American delegation did not ask that all political powers in parliament, including those who call themselves the 'Muslim Brotherhood,' be invited, in contrast with the previous congressional delegation, which requested that an MB representative attend." In a July 1 statement on the MB's English-language website, the MB strongly objected to MB parliamentarians not being included in the meeting. Full text of statement at para 4. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: Given apparent MB anxieties regarding meeting with American officials, it is interesting to note the seeming evolution in the group's approach vis-a-vis U.S. Congressmen. Evidently, not only will MB parliamentarians now willingly participate in meetings with their American counterparts, but they will roundly condemn not being given such an opportunity. End comment. ¶4. (U) Begin text of MB statement: The Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary bloc confirmed that it does not object to visiting the U.S. Congress and contacting it. Dr. Hamdi Hassan, the media spokesman of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) parliamentary bloc, confirmed that the MB parliamentary bloc does not object to visiting the U.S., Congress and contacting it or any other body. This confirmation was in response to the commencement of the Egyptian parliament's exchange visit program with the U.S. Congress. The first of these exchange meetings will take place on Sunday, July 1, 2007 (sic),as some Egyptian MPs will meet a delegation from the U.S. Congress. Dr. Hamdi Hassan said in a statement to Ikhwanweb: "Unfortunately, there is no MB parliamentarian in the meeting scheduled to be held today, between Egyptian MPs and a delegation from the U.S. Congress. According to the by-laws of the People's Assembly, when any delegation visits the People's Assembly, all political trends should have representatives on the Egyptian group that receives the delegation. The Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary bloc comprises 20 percent of the MPs of the People's Assembly, a rate that should never be ignored." "When a delegation from the Indonesian parliament visited the Egyptian People's Assembly, the delegation included representatives from all political parties in the Indonesian parliament, nearly eleven parties," added Hassan. Dr. Hamdi Hassan said: "The visit of the U.S. congressional delegation to the Egyptian People's Assembly is a part of an exchange of visits between the Egyptian People's Assembly and the U.S. Congress. We do not object to holding any contact or meetings between some MPs who include a number of Muslim Brotherhood MPs and the Congressional delegation, if there is a coordination with the People's Assembly for holding such meeting or contacts." Asked about the fierce criticism from the Egyptian government because of a previous meeting between a U.S. congressional delegation and a number of MPs, including Dr. Saad Al Katatni, the MB bloc chief, Dr. Hamdi said: "It is crystal clear that Egyptian policies are contradictory. This is because Dr. Saad is a member of the Egyptian parliament who can represent both the parliament and his homeland. The attitude of the Egyptian government and its Foreign Ministry is outlandish." End text of statement. CAIRO 00002165 002 OF 002 RICCIARDONE