DARFUR: EGYPTIANS PREPARED TO OFFER TROOPS, APCS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000220 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA/ELA AND AF/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM MOPS EG SU SUBJECT: DARFUR: EGYPTIANS PREPARED TO OFFER TROOPS, APCS TO UN'S DARFUR MISSION REF: STATE 6803 Classified by Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). (C) The Ambassador discussed reftel demarche with Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit January 24. The minister reiterated GOE support for the African Union-United Nations' mission in Darfur, and said he told AU Commissioner Alpha Omar Konare January 23 that Egypt is prepared to offer the 36 armored personnel carriers (APCs),along with Egyptian troops. Aboul Gheit said that Egypt would wait for the AU to make a specific troop request "before talking numbers." Egyptian APCs are on also offer "on a commercial basis," and would be indigenously-built vehicles ("with wheels, versus tracks"). Without prompting, Aboul Gheit rejected GOE participation in UN peacekeeping operations along the Chad/Central African Republic/Sudan borders. "We will not put our troops in harm's way, given the fluid security situation there," he stated. A similar message was given by EGIS Chief Omar Soliman when the Ambassador raised the subject during a January 21 meeting. An advisor to the Minister of Defense confirmed to poloff and OMC Chief January 24 that the APC offer is being tracked in MoD channels, but said President Mubarak had not yet made a decision on additional contributions to Darfur. RICCIARDONE