EGYPT: NO POSITION YET ON RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 001920 SIPDIS FOR NEA/ELA AND EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2028 TAGS: PREL PGOV EG GG RU SUBJECT: EGYPT: NO POSITION YET ON RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA AS INDEPENDENT STATES REF: STATE 91894 Classified By: ECPO Minister Counselor William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On August 28, ECPO Minister Counselor, together with British and Japanese DCMs (who had received nearly identical instructions),delivered reftel demarche to MFA spokesman and senior cabinet advisor Hossam Zaki. A very sober Zaki listened attentively. He said that Egypt took all issues of territorial integrity very seriously. He said that Egypt had hoped for a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the situation in Georgia, and that the latest events (Russian recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia) had come as a "surprise." He offered that Egypt was studying the situation very carefully, but had not yet decided on its position. ¶2. (C) The British DCM noted the importance for the international community to act quickly and not allow the Russian action to harden, stressing Egypt's weight and influence in the region and beyond. Zaki said Egypt was well aware of that, but that in such a complex and "fluid" situation, it was important to make the right decision after careful analysis. Mincouns reminded Zaki of Egypt's earlier stated "principle" of supporting territorial integrity, and how Egypt had not supported Kosovo independence on that basis. Zaki took all on board, and noted the impact the joint demarche would have on Egypt's decision-making process, but reiterated that Egypt had still not decided on its position vis a vis Russia in Georgia. SCOBEY