Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CAIRO735
2008-04-10 14:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHEG #0735 1011427 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 101427Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8876
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000735
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2018
TAGS: PGOV EG
SUBJECT: RUMORS OF CABINET SHUFFLE ABOUND
REF: 2007 CAIRO 2577
Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000735
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2018
TAGS: PGOV EG
SUBJECT: RUMORS OF CABINET SHUFFLE ABOUND
REF: 2007 CAIRO 2577
Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Amidst growing popular and media agitation against
rising prices and occasional shortages of bread and fuel,
rumors have started again (ref) in Cairo that a cabinet
shuffle will occur roughly two weeks after the April 8 local
elections. During the Ambassador's April 6 farewell call,
Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif made two direct references to a
rumored cabinet reshuffle, expected to take place two weeks
after April 8's local council elections. Also on April 6,
Minister of Finance Yousef Boutros Ghali told our USAID
Mission director that ministerial changes would be announced
in two weeks. In the meantime, Boutros Ghali has cancelled
his travel to the U.S. for this weekend's spring World
Bank/IMF meetings. The guiding principle of Mubarak's
cabinet shuffles is that they tend to be less than
advertised. It is too early to say definitively who will be
up and who will be out. It depends on Mubarak himself, and
he likely has not made up his own mind yet.
2. (C) That said, the betting is running heavily against
Nazif. According to the rumor mill, he will most likely be
replaced by Minister of Trade and Industry Rachid. Other
vulnerable cabinet members are Minister of Social Solidarity
Moselhi (responsible for bread subsidies); Minister of Higher
Education Hany Hilal; Minister of Justice Mamdouh Marei, and
Minister of Finance Boutros Ghali. There is some talk that
Mubarak acknowledges that Minister of Defense Tantawi is no
longer effective. There has been murmuring within the GOE
that the Gaza incursion in January was mishandled by MOD. But
this strikes us as wishful thinking by Cairenes rather than
hard analysis. A contact who met recently with FM Aboul
Gheit also tipped us off that Aboul Gheit had hinted to a
group of prominent business people that he may be leaving.
This contact characterized Aboul Gheit's upcoming April 17-18
visit to Washington as his "farewell" trip. Again, this
could be wishful thinking by those who dislike Aboul Gheit's
imperious manner. It is difficult to imagine who Mubarak
would name in his place. The Egyptian president is
reportedly not a fan of outgoing Ambassador to the U.S. Nabil
Fahmy and there are no other obvious candidates. If and when
the shuffle occurs, it will shed considerable light on how
successfully presidential son and likely presidential
aspirant Gamal Mubarak and his strong backer, Ahmed Ezz, are
doing in consolidating their control over the ruling National
Democratic Party.
RICCIARDONE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2018
TAGS: PGOV EG
SUBJECT: RUMORS OF CABINET SHUFFLE ABOUND
REF: 2007 CAIRO 2577
Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Amidst growing popular and media agitation against
rising prices and occasional shortages of bread and fuel,
rumors have started again (ref) in Cairo that a cabinet
shuffle will occur roughly two weeks after the April 8 local
elections. During the Ambassador's April 6 farewell call,
Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif made two direct references to a
rumored cabinet reshuffle, expected to take place two weeks
after April 8's local council elections. Also on April 6,
Minister of Finance Yousef Boutros Ghali told our USAID
Mission director that ministerial changes would be announced
in two weeks. In the meantime, Boutros Ghali has cancelled
his travel to the U.S. for this weekend's spring World
Bank/IMF meetings. The guiding principle of Mubarak's
cabinet shuffles is that they tend to be less than
advertised. It is too early to say definitively who will be
up and who will be out. It depends on Mubarak himself, and
he likely has not made up his own mind yet.
2. (C) That said, the betting is running heavily against
Nazif. According to the rumor mill, he will most likely be
replaced by Minister of Trade and Industry Rachid. Other
vulnerable cabinet members are Minister of Social Solidarity
Moselhi (responsible for bread subsidies); Minister of Higher
Education Hany Hilal; Minister of Justice Mamdouh Marei, and
Minister of Finance Boutros Ghali. There is some talk that
Mubarak acknowledges that Minister of Defense Tantawi is no
longer effective. There has been murmuring within the GOE
that the Gaza incursion in January was mishandled by MOD. But
this strikes us as wishful thinking by Cairenes rather than
hard analysis. A contact who met recently with FM Aboul
Gheit also tipped us off that Aboul Gheit had hinted to a
group of prominent business people that he may be leaving.
This contact characterized Aboul Gheit's upcoming April 17-18
visit to Washington as his "farewell" trip. Again, this
could be wishful thinking by those who dislike Aboul Gheit's
imperious manner. It is difficult to imagine who Mubarak
would name in his place. The Egyptian president is
reportedly not a fan of outgoing Ambassador to the U.S. Nabil
Fahmy and there are no other obvious candidates. If and when
the shuffle occurs, it will shed considerable light on how
successfully presidential son and likely presidential
aspirant Gamal Mubarak and his strong backer, Ahmed Ezz, are
doing in consolidating their control over the ruling National
Democratic Party.
RICCIARDONE