Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CAIRO3124
2007-10-24 16:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
EGYPTIAN MFA DOWNPLAYS MUBARAK COMMENTS ON
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHEG #3124 2971621 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 241621Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7281 INFO RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 1576 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 0895
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 003124
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FO; NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG IS
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN MFA DOWNPLAYS MUBARAK COMMENTS ON
FATAH-HAMAS DIALOGUE
Classified By: ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR WILLIAM R. STE
WART
REASONS: 1.4 (B) and (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 003124
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FO; NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG IS
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN MFA DOWNPLAYS MUBARAK COMMENTS ON
FATAH-HAMAS DIALOGUE
Classified By: ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR WILLIAM R. STE
WART
REASONS: 1.4 (B) and (D)
1. (SBU) POLOFF spoke with MFA Spokesman and Senior Cabinet
Advisor Hosam Zaki October 24 regarding press reports
implying President Mubarak was willing to facilitate
Hamas-Fatah negotiations based on his October 22 interview
with Austrian newspaper "Der Standard." He said that Mubarak
had said nothing new in the press conference following his
October 22 meeting with Austrian President Heinz Fischer, but
that he had not seen the text of the Der Standard interview.
2. (C) Nevertheless, Zaki said that there is no Egyptian
policy shift. The GOE maintains low-level dialogue with
Hamas. The GOE position is that PA President Abbas is
empowered to negotiate on behalf of the Palestinians, and
that the burden is on Hamas to rejoin the Palestinian
political system, so as to have Palestinian unity. POLOFF
noted that it was unfortunate that the formulations used by
Mubarak had been vague enough to allow Hamas to use the
interview for its benefit.
RICCIARDONE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FO; NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG IS
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN MFA DOWNPLAYS MUBARAK COMMENTS ON
FATAH-HAMAS DIALOGUE
Classified By: ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR WILLIAM R. STE
WART
REASONS: 1.4 (B) and (D)
1. (SBU) POLOFF spoke with MFA Spokesman and Senior Cabinet
Advisor Hosam Zaki October 24 regarding press reports
implying President Mubarak was willing to facilitate
Hamas-Fatah negotiations based on his October 22 interview
with Austrian newspaper "Der Standard." He said that Mubarak
had said nothing new in the press conference following his
October 22 meeting with Austrian President Heinz Fischer, but
that he had not seen the text of the Der Standard interview.
2. (C) Nevertheless, Zaki said that there is no Egyptian
policy shift. The GOE maintains low-level dialogue with
Hamas. The GOE position is that PA President Abbas is
empowered to negotiate on behalf of the Palestinians, and
that the burden is on Hamas to rejoin the Palestinian
political system, so as to have Palestinian unity. POLOFF
noted that it was unfortunate that the formulations used by
Mubarak had been vague enough to allow Hamas to use the
interview for its benefit.
RICCIARDONE