EGYPT: "NO" TO UNAMID AVIATION SUPPORT AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 003134 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2017 TAGS: KPKO PGOV MARR MASS MOPS EG SU SUBJECT: EGYPT: "NO" TO UNAMID AVIATION SUPPORT AND TRANSPORTATION ASSETS REF: A. SECSTATE 147667 ¶B. CAIRO 2083 ¶C. CAIRO 2035 ¶D. CAIRO 1062 Classified by Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) On October 24, emboffs urged Assistant Minister of Defense for Armament Major General Fouad Abd Al Halim and Assistant Minister of Defense for Policy Major General Mohamed Al Assar to reconsider providing aviation support and transport assets for the UN/AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), per ref A demarche. MG Fouad responded that Egypt cannot support UNAMID's aviation and transport needs at this time because MoD assets are limited. The aviation request is particularly problematic, he said, because of the complex support and maintenance network required for helicopters. The unstable security situation in Darfur also is a concern, he continued, citing the particular vulnerability of helicopters to hostile action. ¶2. (C) Comment: MG Fouad's mention of security concerns, and Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit's previous comments that "we will not put our boys in harm's way" (ref D),highlight that force protection is a prime Egyptian concern when offering forces for UNAMID. Personnel and equipment security concerns were behind Egypt rejecting of UN requests for armored personnel carriers without Egyptian troops to operate them (ref B) and Egyptian engineers without Egyptian infantry to protect them (ref C). RICCIARDONE