MFA ON LEBANON SUPPORT, IRAN RELATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000202 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA/ELA FOR SOMERSET E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2018 TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL PHUM EFIN EINV SY LE IR EG SUBJECT: MFA ON LEBANON SUPPORT, IRAN RELATIONS REF: A. SECSTATE 10786 ¶B. CAIRO 8 ¶C. CAIRO 158 ¶D. CAIRO 18 Classified By: ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR WILLIAM R. STEWART REASONS: 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) We delivered demarche on Lebanon (reftel a) and note verbale to MFA Cabinet advisors Hossam Zaki and Nazih Neggary on January 4. They told us the GOE fully supports Lebanon and an immediate presidential election. They said that the GOE agrees that the tribunal needs to be supported, and that those responsible for the Hariri assassination should be brought to justice, but did not indicate whether or not Egypt would be able to make a contribution. ¶2. (C) Zaki said that the tribunal is very important, but worried that it was increasingly being viewed in the Arab world as a political tool, as opposed to a legitimate tribunal. He opined that "nothing at all had happened" on the watch of UN special investigator Brammertz. He hoped the new special investigator Bellemare would do more to shore up the tribunal's credibility, which is waning with each passing day. ¶2. (C) Neggary, and MFA Deputy Assistant Minister for Arab Affairs Ayman Zeineldeen, both confirmed in separate meetings that the GOE will continue to publicly support Lebanon. Neggary took our point on cancelling high level visit to Damascus, noting that there is not yet a uniform GOE policy on this. For his part, Zeineldeen, offered his private assessment that increasing tribunal pressure would antagonize Syria. He noted that there is an internal GOE debate over how to approach Syria, and said "I debate Nazih (Neggary) every day on the danger of putting Syria into a corner". ¶3. (C) There may well be an internal debate continuing on how to deal with Lebanon and Syria. However, based on the GOE position at the Arab League ministerial meetings, Egyptian public comments, and conversations with MFA Cabinet Advisors (reftels b and c) we believe that GOE policy is to increase pressure on Syria, at least for the time being. Neggary told us February 4 that some in the GOE had believed -- erroneously in his view -- that Syria could be appeased, but that the prevailing MFA view is that Syria will take a mile if given an inch. He claimed that Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa has also come around to believe this privately. ¶4. (C) We asked Zaki about the latest media reports of "improved" Iranian-Egyptian ties. He reiterated (reftel d) the GOE position that the burden remains squarely on Iran to turn over men wanted by Egyptian security services (including in connection with the Sadat assassination),and to address the longstanding symbolic issue of Islambouli street in Tehran (named after Sadat's assassin). He said that even if the security issues were resolved favorably, there would be no material improvement until the street was renamed. RICCIARDONE