Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CAIRO680
2008-04-03 16:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
EGYPTIAN MFA ON MUBARAK MEETING WITH ABBAS,
how-toVZCZCXRO2664 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHEG #0680 0941645 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 031645Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8803 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000680
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA
NSC FOR PASCUAL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2018
TAGS: PREL KPAL EG JO XF
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN MFA ON MUBARAK MEETING WITH ABBAS,
ABDULLAH
Classified By: ECPO Minister-Counselor William R. Stewart
for reasons 1.4 (b).
(C) MFA Spokesman and Senior Advisor Hossam Zaki told
Minister Counselor April 3 that President Mubarak's April 2
meeting with PA President Mahmud Abbas and Jordan's King
Abdullah had focused entirely on the peace process. "Abbas
is where Yasser ARAFAT was in 2001," Zaki explained. Abbas
senses that he is getting closer to a deal, he said, and the
closer he gets, "the more he needs Egyptian political cover."
MinCouns asked what exactly they had discussed; Zaki said
"the need for a fair deal." Abbas will not just sign
anything, Zaki said, but he still needs to coordinate closely
with his friends -- especially Jordan and Egypt -- to make
sure that any agreement is fair. The meeting was
particularly timely, Zaki asserted, in view of President
Bush's upcoming visit to the region and rumors that he
planned to "sign a deal" at that time.
RICCIARDONE