AYMAN NOUR APPRECIATIVE OF AMBASSADOR'S RECENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 002809 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR SINGH AND WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM EG SUBJECT: AYMAN NOUR APPRECIATIVE OF AMBASSADOR'S RECENT COMMENTS ON HIS CASE REF: CAIRO 2751 Classified By: DCM Stuart E. Jones, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On September 16, a handwritten letter from imprisoned Al Ghad Party leader Ayman Nour was delivered to poloff's residence by Nour's wife, Gameela Ismail. The letter thanks the Ambassador for his recent public comments on Nour's case, both at a September 9 American Chamber of Commerce event and during a September 11 live TV interview on Nile News. (Note: Both transcripts are available on Embassy Cairo's internet website, http://egypt.usembassy.gov, and the text of the Nile News comments regarding Nour are at para 3. End note). ¶2. (C) Begin text of Embassy translation of Nour's letter: Your Excellency the Ambassador, Greetings, amity, and appreciation, I read your Excellency's statements at the American Chamber of Commerce in Al Dostour and Al Masry Al Youm (two independent Egyptian newspapers) with utmost gratitude and appreciation. Similarly, I was surprised with the "different" headlines in Al Gomhurriya and Al Ahram (two government-backed newspapers),about the same statements. However, the interview that was held with your Excellency on Nile News on the same day of publishing the statements "dotted the all the i's," and was conclusive, clear and specific to the point that, after I finished watching the interview, I was compelled to take my pen and papers (which are smuggled into the prison) to write these lines to you to express my gratitude, appreciation and thankfulness. Speaking of press news, please find enclosed an article from the September 13 issue of Akhbar Al Hawadeth/Al Akhbar. (Note: The article is about the recent alleged suicide of Ayman Ismail Hassan (reftel),who was both a co-defendant of Nour and a witness against him, and is titled, "The Friend of the U.S. Secretary of State in Bab El Khalq Commits Suicide." End note.) I hope that we can meet in the near future, God willing. My regards and goodwill, Dr. Ayman Nour September 16, 2007 Torah Al Mazra'ah General Prison South Cairo End text of Embassy translation. ¶3. (U) Following are the Ambassador's comments about Ayman Nour during a September 11 TV interview on Nile News: Announcer: Your Excellency mentioned that your relations with Egypt are good and strong. I agree with you, but why then is there a feeling within the Egyptian citizenry that the U.S. is trying to impose its own concept of democracy, which does not suit us as Egyptians, who have a history, certain beliefs, and a way of living, for example. Allow me to ask some questions about U.S. assistance to Egypt and its use as a weapon to impose certain policies. Also, concerning interference in Ayman Nour,s case, where you have had a statement. The Ambassador: About the American interest in internal Egyptian affairs such as Ayman Nour's case, Egypt is an important country in the world. You have a major role in the global arena. We do not forget that Egypt is an important country. In today's world, there are no secrets; everything is known through the internet and the media. There is major interest about Egypt in particular. As for Ayman Nour, we have a difference about how to view this issue. Announcer: Some press today quoted your Excellency as saying "The U.S. and Europe misunderstood Ayman Nour's case?" The Ambassador: Unfortunately, the title was in one government newspaper and was inaccurate. The full text in an independent paper was more accurate. I said we have different views on the issue. We see that the issue is political because Mr. Ayman Nour was a politician who ran for president and afterwards, was tried and jailed for five years. From the outside and from American and European points of view, the issue is a political issue. CAIRO 00002809 002 OF 002 Announcer: Your Excellency, have you read all the details of the case and did you realize that it was originally a case of forging affidavits, and not of politics from the start, because this had happened before the elections? The Ambassador: He was always a political man even before the elections. He established an opposition party and a newspaper. Announcer: But it was established in violation of the law. Does the U.S. allow a party to be established in violation of the law without taking measures against the person who committed that crime? The Ambassador: He established the party under the Egyptian law and we understood that. However, abroad, there is a different understanding of the issue and we admit that. You and many Egyptians themselves differ in your opinions about the issue. I know the position of the government of Egypt is that this case is criminal, and we differ on that. RICCIARDONE