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