CODEL RAHALL, DEFENSE MINISTER DISCUSS THE GAZA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 001271 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2018 TAGS: PARM PREL MARR IQ IS EG SUBJECT: CODEL RAHALL, DEFENSE MINISTER DISCUSS THE GAZA BORDER, EGYPT'S REGIONAL ROLE REF: CAIRO 1110 Classified By: DCM Stuart Jones for reason 1.4 (b). ¶1. (C) Summary: Codel Rahall, comprised of Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV),Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA),Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL), Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA),Rep. John Linder (R-GA) and Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA),met with Defense Minister Tantawi June 1, accompanied by the Ambassador and OMC Chief. Rep. Rahall underscored Congressional interest in Egyptian smuggling interdiction on the Gaza border. Rep. Issa urged the Defense Minister to establish an Egyptian military or police presence in Iraq, and noted that Congress would view such a move favorably. The Ambassador urged Tantawi to visit Iraq personally to send a message to Iran that Egypt is committed to Iraqi security. The Defense Minister said that Egypt is "doing its best" on the Gaza border, cited Egypt's plans to deploy a U.S.-supplied counter-tunneling system on the border, and complained that Israel will not allow Egypt to increase its Border Guard Forces. Tantawi said that it would be "too dangerous" to send Egyptian soldiers to Iraq, and asserted that Egypt's stability "at the heart of the region" is a strategic asset for the U.S. End summary. ¶2. (C) Rep. Rahall told the Defense Minister that the Codel is visiting Egypt as friends of the GOE, and thanked the Defense Minister for Egypt's counterterrorism cooperation and work on the Middle East peace process. The Congressman said that U.S. military assistance is an important part of the bilateral relationship, and noted that Egyptian efforts to interdict smuggling on the Gaza border are the main focus of Members of Congress who work on appropriations issues. Rep. Issa thanked the Defense Minister for facilitating his travel from Egypt to Lebanon during the summer 2006 war in order to deliver relief supplies to Lebanese civilians. ¶3. (C) Defense Minister Tantawi said that Egypt is doing "its best" on the border, noted GOE plans to deploy a U.S.-supplied counter-tunneling system, and urged the Codel not to believe press articles or statements from Israel criticizing Egypt's actions on the border. He asked that the U.S. not allow its relations with Israel to impact negatively on U.S. bilateral relations with Egypt. The Defense Minister said that the current number of 750 Border Guard Force (BGF) soldiers that Egypt deploys, consistent with the Camp David Accords and the 2005 Egyptian-Israeli Agreed Arrangements, is not sufficient, and that the GOE is frustrated with Israel's refusal to allow additional GOE Border Guard Forces. Tantawi said, "Most Gazans are innocent," and that Palestinian women and children stormed the Egyptian border in January 2008 "desperate for food." He asked the Codel rhetorically, "Can I issue orders to kill them?" ¶4. (C) Assistant Minister of Defense for Policy MG Al-Assar said that Egypt is working with the U.S. to set up a counter-tunneling seismic acoustic system with robots that is expected to be operational at the border by early 2009. MG Al-Assar added that the GOE has destroyed 93 tunnel openings thus far in 2008, after destroying 74 openings in 2007. (Note: per reftel, LAWIO told us May 26 that the GOE destroyed 115 tunnel openings in 2007. End note.) Al-Assar added that Egyptian Border Guard Force soldiers are making a 100 percent effort to interdict smuggling, but cannot ensure a 100 percent success rate. Al-Assar said that the GOE is spending $165 million to improve BGF capabilities. (Note: The GOE has committed $165 million in FMF toward procuring systems to improve Egypt's comprehensive border protection capabilities, not only for the Gaza border. End note.) Al-Assar claimed that because the tunnels are only "one meter wide," smugglers are not using the tunnels to transport rockets into Gaza. Instead, he said, these rockets are coming into Gaza by sea, which is Israel's area of responsibility. Regarding the counter-tunneling system, MG Collings explained that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has worked closely with OMC and the GOE to plan for deploying the equipment on the border. ¶5. (C) Rep. Issa said that Congressional perceptions of Egypt would be more positive if the GOE were to engage more on Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. He encouraged the Defense Minister to establish a presence on the ground in Iraq consisting of police units or a military liaison team. The Congressman said that such a presence would be noted favorably in Congress. He said that the current absence of Egyptian military and police in Iraq is "a mistake." The Ambassador underscored that it is important for Egypt to have an on-the-ground presence in Iraq, and suggested that the Defense Minister visit Baghdad to send a message to Iran that CAIRO 00001271 002 OF 002 the chief of the largest Arab army is committed to security in Iraq. ¶6. (C) Defense Minister Tantawi replied that conditions in Iraq are currently "too dangerous" for Egyptian soldiers. He said that Egyptian soldiers in Iraq would be killed. "We know the Iraqis," he added, "and the Iraqis don't like Egyptians." He suggested that Iraq send its officers for training in Egypt. Tantawi said that Egypt's stability is a strategic asset for the U.S. in the region. An unstable Egypt would be "very dangerous for the U.S.," he said, adding, "Egypt is the heart of the region, not like Qatar or Bahrain." MG Al-Assar noted Egypt's provision of logistical support, security and preferential treatment for U.S. forces transiting the Suez Canal. Al-Assar said that Egypt has deployed 2,400 peacekeeping troops to the UN mission in Sudan, and has provided medical aid to the people of Darfur. He added that Egypt maintains a field hospital in Lebanon and sent ammunition to the Lebanese Armed Forces to fight against extremists in the Naher Al-Bared refugee camp. ¶7. (U) Codel Rahall did not have the opportunity to clear this message. SCOBEY