Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CAIRO2827
2007-09-18 17:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:  

EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY DOWNPLAYS SIGNIFICANCE

Tags:  PREL PGOV EG IR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0825
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK
DE RUEHEG #2827 2611744
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 181744Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6944
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002827 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ELA AND NEA/IR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG IR
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY DOWNPLAYS SIGNIFICANCE
OF IRANIAN VISIT


Classified by Minister Counselor for Economic and Political
Affairs William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002827

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ELA AND NEA/IR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG IR
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY DOWNPLAYS SIGNIFICANCE
OF IRANIAN VISIT


Classified by Minister Counselor for Economic and Political
Affairs William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Egyptian government-owned press reported on
September 18 that Iranian Assistant Foreign Minister Abbas
Iraq was holding talks with Egyptian Foreign Ministry
officials. Iraq was to meeting MFA Assistant Minister for
Asian Affairs Hussein Darar and Assistant Minister for
Multilateral Affairs Naela Gabr, according to the reports,
and would discuss both bilateral relations and regional
issues. Egyptian government-owned daily Al Gomhuria noted
that Iranian President Ahmadinejad previously had announced
that a meeting between Egyptian and Iranian foreign ministers
would follow a meeting of this kind.


2. (C) MFA Spokesman and Chief of the Foreign Minister's
Cabinet, Ambassador Hossam Zaki, told ECPO MinCouns that the
press reports were "inaccurate." We are not restoring
diplomatic relations, he said, because they have never been
broken. The issue has always been about the level of those
relations. We have long talked to the Iranians about how we
might be able to make progress in improving our bilateral
relations. They know that we have certain security concerns
(NFI) and symbolic issues, "such as re-naming that street in
Tehran."

3. (C) Zaki said confirmed that Iraq had met with various
officials at the MFA, including the FM's cabinet. In
response to MinCouns query, Zaki said that FM Aboul Gheit had
"stuck his head in the room" during the Iranian delegation's
visit with the cabinet staff. "He stayed five minutes, said
what he wanted to say, and then left, that's all." MinCouns
asked if there were any truth to reports that there would be
ministerial meetings in the future. Zaki said that while any
such talk was speculative, it was nonetheless "out there for
discussion." It all depends on whether or not we make any
progress in our discussions with the Iranians, he said.
"They know what we want; whether they are willing to give us
is another question." Also, he added, "you never know who
you might run into at the UN."
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