EGYPT: STILL INCOMPLETE UNHCR ACCESS TO ERITREANS

UNCLAS CAIRO 001388 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL EG ER SUBJECT: EGYPT: STILL INCOMPLETE UNHCR ACCESS TO ERITREANS REF: A. CAIRO 1322 ¶B. SECSTATE 68478 Sensitive but unclassified, not for Internet distribution. ¶1. (SBU) On July 1, the Ambassador told Deputy Foreign Minister Wafaa Bassim that the USG is concerned that the GOE was still not providing the UNHCR complete access to Eritrean asylum seekers in Egyptian custody. UNHCR Deputy Regional Representative for Protection Katharina Lumpp had confirmed on June 29 that UNHCR was completing processing of approximately 200 Eritrean asylum seekers being held near Aswan, but that the GOE was still refusing UNHCR access to prisons elsewhere in Egypt where UNHCR had credible information that Eritreans were currently being, or had previously been, detained (ref A). ¶2. (SBU) Bassim denied that Egypt is holding Eritreans or other migrants or refugees in locations other than Aswan. When asked if it was true that the UNHCR had requested access to Eritrean asylum seekers since February 2008, Basim responded that she did not know, but that UNHCR in Cairo is "difficult to deal with." The GOE prefers to work with the UNHCR's Geneva headquarters, she said. ¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador noted USG willingness to consider resettlement cases referred by the UNHCR. Bassim said that the GOE appreciated this, but offered her view that African migrants in Egypt in fact seek to ultimately reach the U.S. or other developed countries. A resettlement policy, she explained, would potentially reward illegal entry into Egypt. ¶4. (SBU) Note and comment: Per refs, Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit and other MFA contacts previously requested that the U.S. and international community "do more" to resettle African refugees from Egypt. We will follow up to determine the official GOE position on resettlement for this refugee population. SCOBEY