Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CAIRO2537
2007-08-15 14:20:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
EGYPT: UPDATE ON IRI, NDI, AND IFES SUPPORT FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO1049 OO RUEHROV DE RUEHEG #2537 2271420 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 151420Z AUG 07 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6543 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002537
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC STAFF FOR PAT DAVIS AND RICK WATERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT: UPDATE ON IRI, NDI, AND IFES SUPPORT FOR
POLITICAL REFORM
Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002537
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC STAFF FOR PAT DAVIS AND RICK WATERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT: UPDATE ON IRI, NDI, AND IFES SUPPORT FOR
POLITICAL REFORM
Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) On August 4, the Assistant Minister for American
Affairs, Hatem Seif Al-Nasr, convoked the Ambassador to
complain "on instructions" about IRI activities in Egypt. Al
Nasr charged that IRI Country Director, Keith Kidd, had been
traveling in the governorates and maintained a heavy schedule
of meetings. He added that "we know all about" the off-shore
democracy training programs being run by IRI. In a
long-winded and indirect presentation, Seif Al-Nasr asked the
Ambassador to put an end to the IRI activities. Ambassador
said that he was not in a position to ask IRI to end its
contact work in Egypt or its training programs outside of
Egypt, which, on the contrary, we support. He asked Seif
Al-Nasr to meet with Kidd to obtain a better understanding of
IRI,s goals and program.
2. (C) The DCM advised IRI Director Kidd on August 8 of the
GOE demarche and added that Embassy supports IRI activities
and suggested no changes. In response to DCM,s query, Kidd
reported that he has encountered no GOE interference with his
appointments, his travel, or the off-shore training. If
anything, he has noted a decline in surveillance. He has
also not had any contact with GOE officials; his requests for
meetings at the MFA to seek formal registration have been
ignored. After departing Cairo on August 11, Kidd advised
DCM that his departure from Cairo International Airport had
been delayed by Egyptian security officials for approximately
45 minutes as they scrutinized his passport. Although the
security officials insisted to Kidd that there was "no
problem," this is the first time, to our knowledge, that
expatriate employees of IRI, NDI, or IFES have been subject
to close scrutiny while entering/exiting the country. In
July, IRI had completed its third offshore training (in
Morocco) for Egyptian activists. Although IRI's previous
off-shore programs have been reported in the daily Rose Al
Yusuf newspaper, there has been no coverage of the most
recent program. There will be no August training.
3. (SBU) IRI has now conducted three week-long program
offshore programs, in Turkey, Slovenia, and Morocco. The
programs are well-attended, with 20-25 attendees each, out of
approximately 30 invitations. Kidd plans continuing running
these offshore programs through the next year. He said that
feedback from attendees is positive and many new invitees are
identified from alumni referrals. NDP members, mostly from
the provinces, have comprised about a third of attendees.
The balance is made up of NGO leaders, independents, and
other registered party operatives. Kidd insisted that there
is no IRI contact with the MB. The current curriculum is now
aimed at the upcoming municipal council elections in spring
2008, though as Kidd acknowledged these may be postponed.
Kidd said that IRI could expand offshore programs for
Egyptian participants with more funds.
4. (SBU) Kidd will be in Washington during the week of
August 13. DCM recommended that Kidd meet with NEA DAS
Carpenter, DRL DAS Barks-Ruggles, and NSC Democracy Director
Pat Davis.
5. (C) NDI and IFES also continue to explore the limits of
the possible within the limited space that the GOE has
permitted for them. NDI staff has been meeting with advocacy
groups and civil society organizations outside of Cairo in
preparation for planned offshore activities to build their
capacity. NDI is also aiming to conduct offshore activities
to improve the quality of candidate and issues platforms for
the 2008 local council elections. IFES has pursued a
strategy of cooperating providing unbranded technical and
consulting support to legally registered Egyptian
organizations, such as the National Council for Human Rights
and the Ahram Center, which have in turn served as the formal
hosts for training workshops on electoral administration and
related matters.
RICCIARDONE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC STAFF FOR PAT DAVIS AND RICK WATERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT: UPDATE ON IRI, NDI, AND IFES SUPPORT FOR
POLITICAL REFORM
Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) On August 4, the Assistant Minister for American
Affairs, Hatem Seif Al-Nasr, convoked the Ambassador to
complain "on instructions" about IRI activities in Egypt. Al
Nasr charged that IRI Country Director, Keith Kidd, had been
traveling in the governorates and maintained a heavy schedule
of meetings. He added that "we know all about" the off-shore
democracy training programs being run by IRI. In a
long-winded and indirect presentation, Seif Al-Nasr asked the
Ambassador to put an end to the IRI activities. Ambassador
said that he was not in a position to ask IRI to end its
contact work in Egypt or its training programs outside of
Egypt, which, on the contrary, we support. He asked Seif
Al-Nasr to meet with Kidd to obtain a better understanding of
IRI,s goals and program.
2. (C) The DCM advised IRI Director Kidd on August 8 of the
GOE demarche and added that Embassy supports IRI activities
and suggested no changes. In response to DCM,s query, Kidd
reported that he has encountered no GOE interference with his
appointments, his travel, or the off-shore training. If
anything, he has noted a decline in surveillance. He has
also not had any contact with GOE officials; his requests for
meetings at the MFA to seek formal registration have been
ignored. After departing Cairo on August 11, Kidd advised
DCM that his departure from Cairo International Airport had
been delayed by Egyptian security officials for approximately
45 minutes as they scrutinized his passport. Although the
security officials insisted to Kidd that there was "no
problem," this is the first time, to our knowledge, that
expatriate employees of IRI, NDI, or IFES have been subject
to close scrutiny while entering/exiting the country. In
July, IRI had completed its third offshore training (in
Morocco) for Egyptian activists. Although IRI's previous
off-shore programs have been reported in the daily Rose Al
Yusuf newspaper, there has been no coverage of the most
recent program. There will be no August training.
3. (SBU) IRI has now conducted three week-long program
offshore programs, in Turkey, Slovenia, and Morocco. The
programs are well-attended, with 20-25 attendees each, out of
approximately 30 invitations. Kidd plans continuing running
these offshore programs through the next year. He said that
feedback from attendees is positive and many new invitees are
identified from alumni referrals. NDP members, mostly from
the provinces, have comprised about a third of attendees.
The balance is made up of NGO leaders, independents, and
other registered party operatives. Kidd insisted that there
is no IRI contact with the MB. The current curriculum is now
aimed at the upcoming municipal council elections in spring
2008, though as Kidd acknowledged these may be postponed.
Kidd said that IRI could expand offshore programs for
Egyptian participants with more funds.
4. (SBU) Kidd will be in Washington during the week of
August 13. DCM recommended that Kidd meet with NEA DAS
Carpenter, DRL DAS Barks-Ruggles, and NSC Democracy Director
Pat Davis.
5. (C) NDI and IFES also continue to explore the limits of
the possible within the limited space that the GOE has
permitted for them. NDI staff has been meeting with advocacy
groups and civil society organizations outside of Cairo in
preparation for planned offshore activities to build their
capacity. NDI is also aiming to conduct offshore activities
to improve the quality of candidate and issues platforms for
the 2008 local council elections. IFES has pursued a
strategy of cooperating providing unbranded technical and
consulting support to legally registered Egyptian
organizations, such as the National Council for Human Rights
and the Ahram Center, which have in turn served as the formal
hosts for training workshops on electoral administration and
related matters.
RICCIARDONE