Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CAIRO678
2008-04-03 16:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
EGYPTIAN MFA ON BASRAH, EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ
how-toVZCZCXRO2662 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHEG #0678 0941644 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 031644Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8801 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000678
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA
NSA FOR PASCUAL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2018
TAGS: PREL EG IZ
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN MFA ON BASRAH, EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ
REF: BAGHDAD 1007
Classified By: ECPO Minister Counselor William R. Stewart
for reasons 1.4 (b).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000678
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA
NSA FOR PASCUAL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2018
TAGS: PREL EG IZ
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN MFA ON BASRAH, EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ
REF: BAGHDAD 1007
Classified By: ECPO Minister Counselor William R. Stewart
for reasons 1.4 (b).
1. (C) MFA Spokesman and Senior Advisor Hossam Zaki told
Minister Counselor April 3 that the Foreign Ministry decided
not to issue a statement concerning events in Basrah since it
involved "Shia on Shia fighting." MinCouns noted that Maliki
had used ISF, not sectarian forces, to take on the Sadrists.
"I would like to believe it was a nationalist response," Zaki
opined, "but I know what it was: Shia on Shia." MinCouns
reiterated reftel points and the Ambassador's March 29
message to FM Aboul Gheit that now was a crucial time for
Arabs to step up and support Maliki in the face of Iranian
machinations in Iraq. Zaki was remained unmoved. "If we say
something, we will look like fools. And we are not fooled."
2. (C) MinCouns asked about Egypt's plan to send an
ambassador to Baghdad. Zaki said that he was awaiting an
Iraqi response to Egyptian questions about logistics for a
security assessment team they plan to send to Iraq in
preparation for the return of an ambassador. Zaki said the
Iraqi deputy foreign minister had approached him at the Arab
League summit in Damascus and asked if Zaki had received the
Iraqi answers to the GoE questions; Zaki told him he had not.
He did not say how long it would take to send the security
team once Iraq answers Egypt's questions, or how long the
assessment would take, but stressed that it was still the
GoE's intention to send an ambassador to Baghdad.
RICCIARDONE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA
NSA FOR PASCUAL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2018
TAGS: PREL EG IZ
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN MFA ON BASRAH, EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ
REF: BAGHDAD 1007
Classified By: ECPO Minister Counselor William R. Stewart
for reasons 1.4 (b).
1. (C) MFA Spokesman and Senior Advisor Hossam Zaki told
Minister Counselor April 3 that the Foreign Ministry decided
not to issue a statement concerning events in Basrah since it
involved "Shia on Shia fighting." MinCouns noted that Maliki
had used ISF, not sectarian forces, to take on the Sadrists.
"I would like to believe it was a nationalist response," Zaki
opined, "but I know what it was: Shia on Shia." MinCouns
reiterated reftel points and the Ambassador's March 29
message to FM Aboul Gheit that now was a crucial time for
Arabs to step up and support Maliki in the face of Iranian
machinations in Iraq. Zaki was remained unmoved. "If we say
something, we will look like fools. And we are not fooled."
2. (C) MinCouns asked about Egypt's plan to send an
ambassador to Baghdad. Zaki said that he was awaiting an
Iraqi response to Egyptian questions about logistics for a
security assessment team they plan to send to Iraq in
preparation for the return of an ambassador. Zaki said the
Iraqi deputy foreign minister had approached him at the Arab
League summit in Damascus and asked if Zaki had received the
Iraqi answers to the GoE questions; Zaki told him he had not.
He did not say how long it would take to send the security
team once Iraq answers Egypt's questions, or how long the
assessment would take, but stressed that it was still the
GoE's intention to send an ambassador to Baghdad.
RICCIARDONE