EGYPTIAN NPT PREPCOM POSITIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000842 SIPDIS SIPDIS ISN/MNSA FOR FORD/DAVIS GENEVA FOR KENNEDY E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2018 TAGS: KNNP PARM PREL IR IS EG SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN NPT PREPCOM POSITIONS REF: A. VIENNA 223 ¶B. CAIRO 690 ¶C. STATE 33661 ¶D. APRIL 10 CAIRO-DEPARTMENT DVC Classified By: ECPO Mincouns William R. Stewart for reason 1.4 (b). ¶1. (C) Summary. MFA Disarmament Director Aly Sirry told us April 22 that Egypt wants the April 28-May 9 Geneva Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) PrepCom proceedings to make progress toward recognizing concerns regarding Israel's nuclear program. Sirry said that Egypt would view such progress as a step toward including these concerns in the 2010 NPT RevCon resolution. He suggested that one way to make progress would be a PrepCom recommendation for the RevCon to express these concerns. He said Egypt would be "extremely disappointed" if the U.S. and the Europeans are not flexible on recognizing such concerns at the PrepCom, but was non-committal regarding what steps, if any, Egypt would take in response. Sirry said that Egypt would not emphasize the issue of "negative security assurances" at the PrepCom. He said Egypt would support the NAM position that Zimbabwe should chair the 2009 PrepCom. End summary. -------------- Arab Concerns Over Israel -------------- ¶2. (C) MFA Disarmament Director Aly Sirry told us April 22 that Egypt wants the upcoming Geneva NPT PrepCom proceedings to make progress toward NPT states recognizing Arab concerns regarding Israel's nuclear program. He said that Egypt would consider progress on this point to be an acceptable step toward a renewed commitment to implementing the 1995 Middle East Resolution. Acknowledging that consensus would be difficult to achieve at the PrepCom, he nonetheless suggested that one way to make progress would be agreement on a recommendation for the 2010 NPT Review Conference to recognize Arab concerns. ¶3. (C) Sirry said that Egypt believes agreement at the 2010 RevCon regarding Arab concerns should precede any concrete proposals on how to implement the 1995 Middle East Resolution. We responded that the U.S. believes the purpose of the 2008 PrepCom is to air different views, and that the 2009 PrepCom would be the appropriate venue to make recommendations for the 2010 RevCon. Sirry said that Egypt is interested in going beyond an airing of different views at the 2008 PrepCom, to moving toward recommendations for 2010. He added that Egypt is concerned that the new U.S. administration may not be prepared to take action on recommendations at the 2009 PrepCom because the PrepCom will closely follow the 2009 inauguration. ¶4. (C) Sirry said that Egypt will not request any condemnation of Israel at the upcoming PrepCom, and he described Egypt's request for recognition of Arab concerns as "modest." He asked for U.S. flexibility on this point, stressing that the PrepCom cannot be vocal on Iran, but silent on Israel. We answered that Iranian pursuit of a nuclear weapon imperils NPT universality. Sirry said that Egypt had fought many wars with Israel. Egypt, he said, is very concerned with Israel's nuclear program in light of this. Sirry said that if there is no flexible response at the PrepCom from the U.S. and the Europeans regarding Arab concerns, Egypt will be "extremely disappointed." When asked what steps Egypt might then take, he was non-committal, saying he could not predict Egypt's response. However, Sirry emphasized that Egypt's focus is on the 2010 RevCon and suggested that Egypt would view developments at the upcoming PrepCom in that vein, recognizing that there are still two years until the RevCon. -------------- Other NPT PrepCom Issues -------------- ¶5. (C) Sirry described "negative security assurances" as "an old issue" that has had its "glory days." He said that Egypt, as a NAM member, would address the issue at the upcoming PrepCom, but would not emphasize it. Regarding the issue of NPT withdrawal, Sirry said Egypt believes the most effective way to prevent withdrawal is to strengthen the treaty by responding to the concerns of all States party to CAIRO 00000842 002 OF 002 the Treaty. On the peaceful use of nuclear energy, he said Egypt believes this right is subject to NPT constraints and IAEA safeguards, but noted that it is important not to over-regulate states that do not pose a security threat. He explicitly excluded Iran from this category. Sirry said he had just returned from a conference in Berlin on Reliable Access to Nuclear Fuel (RANF); he said Egypt may refer to RANF in Geneva, but believes the IAEA is the appropriate venue for RANF discussions. Sirry reconfirmed that Egyptian Ambassador in Geneva Sameh El-Shoukry would lead the GOE PrepCom delegation, which would also consist of Egyptian DCM in Vienna Motaz Khalil, UN New York Disarmament Director Hossam Aly, and himself. -------------- Next PrepCom Chair -------------- ¶6. (C) Sirry said that Egypt will support the NAM position that Zimbabwe should chair the 2009 PrepCom. He said he had heard the argument that the current Zimbabwe PermRep in New York is not experienced, but stressed that the Chairmanship goes to a country, not to an individual. Sirry said Egypt would be well disposed to support the current Malaysian PermRep in New York to be Chairman of the 2010 RevCon. -------------- Nonproliferation Talks in Washington -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Sirry said he would pass forward our proposal (refs C and D) for an Egyptian delegation to travel to Washington for nonproliferation talks May 19 and 20. SCOBEY