Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CAIRO2584
2007-08-20 12:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
MOD CALLS DEPLOYMENT OF BORDER GUARD FORCES AN
how-toVZCZCXYZ0006 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHEG #2584 2321223 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 201223Z AUG 07 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6597 INFO RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1529 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0854 RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002584
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/20/2012
TAGS: PREL PTER EG IS
SUBJECT: MOD CALLS DEPLOYMENT OF BORDER GUARD FORCES AN
INTERNAL MATTER
REF: A. CAIRO 2243
¶B. MCKAY-EMBASSY CAIRO E-MAIL (AUGUST 17 2007)
Classified By: DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
(C) During a meeting on August 18, Assistant Minister of
Defense MG Al Assar told poloff that Egypt would not consider
increasing the number of Border Guard Forces (BGF) on the
border with Gaza until Israel agrees to Egypt's request to
accept an additional regiment -- 750 BGF -- under the
bilateral agreement governing the BGF deployment. He, along
with Liaison Agency with International Organizations (LAWIO)
Chief MG Nagy Kamal, said that the MoD personnel system is
based on unit deployments; MoD would not be willing to adjust
the number of BGF on the Gaza border until they could draw
from a second unit of 750 troops. Visibly irritated at being
pressed on this issue, MG Al Assar added that BGF deployments
are an internal matter, as well as an issue of sovereignty.
In response to poloff's question as to how Egypt would use
the additional troops, Al Assar again said this is an
internal MoD matter, but noted that the additional BGF would
give Egypt opportunities to use more mobile patrols.
Comment: We conclude that in order to induce Egyptian
flexibility on border deployments under the applicable
agreement, we will need to go over Defense Minister Tantawi's
head.
RICCIARDONE