Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CAIRO3260
2007-11-14 16:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
MUBARAK MEETS ABBAS, TALABANI; EGYPTIANS CONTINUE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0008 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHEG #3260 3181627 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 141627Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7453 INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 1830 RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0235 RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 1160 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 0839 RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA PRIORITY 0523 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 1589 RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON PRIORITY 0058 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 0904
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 003260
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG IZ XF IS
SUBJECT: MUBARAK MEETS ABBAS, TALABANI; EGYPTIANS CONTINUE
TO VENT OVER ISRAELI RELATIONS
Classified By: Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs Wi
lliam R. Stewart.
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 003260
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG IZ XF IS
SUBJECT: MUBARAK MEETS ABBAS, TALABANI; EGYPTIANS CONTINUE
TO VENT OVER ISRAELI RELATIONS
Classified By: Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs Wi
lliam R. Stewart.
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) President Mubarak hosted several Arab leaders
visiting Cairo for the Arab Olympics November 11-13. Mubarak
met Palestinian Authority President Abbas, Saudi King
Abdullah, Jordanian King Abdullah II, and hosted a lunch with
Iraqi President Talabani, Sudanese President Bashir, and
Yemeni President Saleh. In addition, an Iraqi delegation led
by Sheikh Aziz Nazhan met with FM Aboul Gheit November 13.
2. (C) MFA Senior Cabinet Advisor Hosam Zaki told us November
11 that Abbas had been downcast in his meeting with Mubarak,
and "very disturbed" at the Israelis, accusing them of
"backtracking" and "playing games." As a result, President
Mubarak had instructed Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit to send a
non-paper to Secretary Rice on November 12 in connection with
Annapolis preparations.
3. (C) Talabani and Mubarak discussed the possibility of
exchanging ambassadors, according to Zaki. Talbani
reportedly said that the Egyptian ambassador could live
nearby his own residence in Baghdad, and that he would
provide him with the same level of security as he received.
Zaki said that Aboul Gheit promised to consider this offer,
but did not commit, noting that Talabani lives outside the
Green Zone. Talabani agreed to re-start the moribund
"Egyptian-Iraqi Joint Committee," and offered to send FM
Zebari to Cairo to kick it off. He said the committee would
look at trade and political issues. Aboul Gheit reiterated
to Talabani Egypt's offer to train Iraqi security forces,
which Talabani welcomed.
4. (C) Zaki, and other key MFA interlocutors, have expressed
exasperation over what they consider to be an overt Israeli
campaign to convince the U.S. Congress to cut USG assistance
to Egypt. On November 9, Zaki gave us a brief account of the
November 7 Aboul Gheit meeting with Israeli FM Livni that
took place in Lisbon on the margins of the Euromed
conference. Zaki said that Aboul Gheit had conveyed a stern
message on behalf of President Mubarak: If the Israeli goal
is to scuttle the US-Egyptian relationship, and cause USG
funding to Egypt to be cut, then "so be it." But, Egyptian
behavior and strategic interests will not be altered by these
Israeli tactics. He noted that Livni had not apologized over
the dissemination of an Israeli report critical of Egyptian
anti-smuggling performance to the Hill.
5. (C) MFA Deputy Assistant Minister for the Americas
Mohammad Aboul Dahab told visiting Political Counselor to
Embassy Tel Aviv Marc Sievers November 14 that the recent
letter from Knesset member Joval Steinetz to members of
Congress was just the latest example of Israeli "bad faith."
We responded that neither the USG nor the Israeli government
should be blamed for opinions of some members of our
legislatures. Nevertheless, our MFA contacts continue to
make clear their view that we are not doing enough to protect
the U.S.-Egypt bilateral relationship from Congressional
criticism.
RICCIARDONE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG IZ XF IS
SUBJECT: MUBARAK MEETS ABBAS, TALABANI; EGYPTIANS CONTINUE
TO VENT OVER ISRAELI RELATIONS
Classified By: Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs Wi
lliam R. Stewart.
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) President Mubarak hosted several Arab leaders
visiting Cairo for the Arab Olympics November 11-13. Mubarak
met Palestinian Authority President Abbas, Saudi King
Abdullah, Jordanian King Abdullah II, and hosted a lunch with
Iraqi President Talabani, Sudanese President Bashir, and
Yemeni President Saleh. In addition, an Iraqi delegation led
by Sheikh Aziz Nazhan met with FM Aboul Gheit November 13.
2. (C) MFA Senior Cabinet Advisor Hosam Zaki told us November
11 that Abbas had been downcast in his meeting with Mubarak,
and "very disturbed" at the Israelis, accusing them of
"backtracking" and "playing games." As a result, President
Mubarak had instructed Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit to send a
non-paper to Secretary Rice on November 12 in connection with
Annapolis preparations.
3. (C) Talabani and Mubarak discussed the possibility of
exchanging ambassadors, according to Zaki. Talbani
reportedly said that the Egyptian ambassador could live
nearby his own residence in Baghdad, and that he would
provide him with the same level of security as he received.
Zaki said that Aboul Gheit promised to consider this offer,
but did not commit, noting that Talabani lives outside the
Green Zone. Talabani agreed to re-start the moribund
"Egyptian-Iraqi Joint Committee," and offered to send FM
Zebari to Cairo to kick it off. He said the committee would
look at trade and political issues. Aboul Gheit reiterated
to Talabani Egypt's offer to train Iraqi security forces,
which Talabani welcomed.
4. (C) Zaki, and other key MFA interlocutors, have expressed
exasperation over what they consider to be an overt Israeli
campaign to convince the U.S. Congress to cut USG assistance
to Egypt. On November 9, Zaki gave us a brief account of the
November 7 Aboul Gheit meeting with Israeli FM Livni that
took place in Lisbon on the margins of the Euromed
conference. Zaki said that Aboul Gheit had conveyed a stern
message on behalf of President Mubarak: If the Israeli goal
is to scuttle the US-Egyptian relationship, and cause USG
funding to Egypt to be cut, then "so be it." But, Egyptian
behavior and strategic interests will not be altered by these
Israeli tactics. He noted that Livni had not apologized over
the dissemination of an Israeli report critical of Egyptian
anti-smuggling performance to the Hill.
5. (C) MFA Deputy Assistant Minister for the Americas
Mohammad Aboul Dahab told visiting Political Counselor to
Embassy Tel Aviv Marc Sievers November 14 that the recent
letter from Knesset member Joval Steinetz to members of
Congress was just the latest example of Israeli "bad faith."
We responded that neither the USG nor the Israeli government
should be blamed for opinions of some members of our
legislatures. Nevertheless, our MFA contacts continue to
make clear their view that we are not doing enough to protect
the U.S.-Egypt bilateral relationship from Congressional
criticism.
RICCIARDONE