Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE101698
2008-09-23 19:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

ISN DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY HAYWARD'S MEETINGS

Tags:  PREL ENRG KNNP MNUC PARM NPT IAEA EG IS IR 
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FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 7923
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 5710
INFO ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
NPT COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3933
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 3173
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 3848
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 101698 

SIPDIS
UNVIE FOR IAEA
GENEVA FOR CD DELEGATION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2018
TAGS: PREL ENRG KNNP MNUC PARM NPT IAEA EG IS IR
SUBJECT: ISN DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY HAYWARD'S MEETINGS
ON NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION, CAIRO, SEPTEMBER 8, 2008

Classified By: ISN DAS Mary Alice Hayward for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 101698

SIPDIS
UNVIE FOR IAEA
GENEVA FOR CD DELEGATION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2018
TAGS: PREL ENRG KNNP MNUC PARM NPT IAEA EG IS IR
SUBJECT: ISN DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY HAYWARD'S MEETINGS
ON NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION, CAIRO, SEPTEMBER 8, 2008

Classified By: ISN DAS Mary Alice Hayward for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) This is an action request. See para 3.


2. (C) SUMMARY: ISN DAS Mary Alice Hayward led a State
Department team in September 8 meetings with Ambassador Naela
Gabr (Assistant Minister),Khalid Shamaa (Deputy Assistant
Minister),and other Egyptian officials to discuss Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT),International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) General Conference (GC),and nuclear
counter-terrorism issues. As expected, Gabr expressed
Egyptian disappointment with the U.S. contribution to
implementing the 1995 NPT Middle East Resolution, and Shamaa
criticized the 2008 NPT Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) paper
presented by the United States on the Middle East and
nonproliferation for not explicitly calling on Israel to join
the NPT. Hayward emphasized our strong desire for closer
engagement with Egypt on NPT issues, indicated our desire to
work on implementing the Resolution, and proposed a technical
workshop involving Egypt, Israel, the United States, and
possibly other Arab states. The Egyptians appeared guardedly
interested in the workshop proposal, asking a number of
questions. DAS Hayward said we would provide a non-paper on
the subject. Gabr also said that Egypt will not accept
linkage between the two proposed General Conference
resolutions on the Middle East and that discussions with
Israel in Vienna on the Egyptian-proposed resolution on
safeguards in the region had not been productive, as Israel
insisted on "killing amendments". Discussion indicated that
Egypt is very reluctant to join the Global Initiative to
Combat Nuclear Terrorism. END SUMMARY.


3. (SBU) ACTION REQUESTED: Based on Hayward,s September
11 meeting in Jerusalem (septel),Post is requested to inform
the appropriate GOE officials that the GOI is eager to meet

bilaterally to discuss these issues. Post is also requested
ask which GOE officials will attend the IAEA General
Conference and the UN First Committee in October, noting the
U.S. willingness to build upon the meetings in Cairo in the
near future. END ACTION REQUEST.

(U) NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION TREATY


4. (C) ISN DAS Mary Alice Hayward - joined by Ambassador
Marguerita Ragsdale (Director of ISN's Office of Multilateral
Nuclear and Security Affairs (MNSA)) Scott Davis (MNSA Deputy
Director),Jody Daniel (ISN's Regional Affairs Office) and
Melissa Cline (Embassy Cairo) - met in Cairo with Ambassador
Naela Gabr (Assistant Minister),Khalid Shamaa (Deputy
Assistant Minister),Ahmed Al-Fadly (Counsellor),and Ahmed
al-Shandalawy (Disarmament Affairs). Gabr began the meeting
by expressing Egyptian disappointment with the U.S.
contribution to implementing the 1995 NPT Middle East
Resolution and stating that the United States needs to show
strong political will to achieve progress. Gabr said that
Egypt cannot accept the U.S. position linking progress on the
resolution to the Middle East peace process. Taking the
opposite viewpoint, Gabr argued that a Middle East
nuclear-free zone (MENWFZ),as a key confidence building
measure, is a prerequisite for the peace in the region.
(COMMENT: The 1995 NPT Resolution on the Middle East calls
for a regional weapons-of-mass-destruction (WMD)-free zone,
but Egypt usually talks about seeking a NWFZ. END COMMENT)
Gabr said that Egypt does not want to see a repeat of the
2005 RevCon (which spent over two weeks agreeing on an agenda
and did not adopt a final document) and wanted the third
(2009) PrepCom in this review cycle to "prepare the ground"
for the 2010 RevCon with "something concrete" that can "show
the NPT is alive." She urged that we not give Iran "tools"
to block the NPT process, something it did for over a week at
the first (2007) PrepCom.


5. (C) Gabr went on to say that what Egypt needed most was a
strong message from the United States expressing its
political will to support the objectives of the 1995
Resolution on the Middle East. Noting that the Egyptian
government must consider public opinion when forming its
policies on nonproliferation issues, she stated that any
initiative related to the 1995 Middle East resolution coming

STATE 00101698 002 OF 003


from the United States would be highly valued by the Egyptian
people and the Middle East population as a whole.


6. (C) Hayward stated that the United States wants to build
up our partnership with Egypt on nuclear nonproliferation
issues and underscored the value we attach to Egypt's views
on them. She assured our interlocutors of the high priority
the United States attaches to the NPT and offered our
commitment to a successful NPT review process. Hayward
recognized Egypt's concern about Israeli nuclear activities
and said that the United States will continue urging Israel
to move forward in addressing these concerns. She stressed
that ongoing dialogue between the U.S. and Egypt and Egypt
and Israel is the only way to move this issue forward in a
constructive way.


7. (C) Shamaa emphasized Egypt's desire for a regional
security system that provides equal security for all states.
He stated that the lack of an outcome of the 2005 RevCon
means that U.S.-Egyptian consultations are even more
necessary. He said Egypt shares U.S. concerns about
non-compliance, adding that the increased tendency of parties
to neglect their obligations makes the NPT less relevant.
However, he argued, universal adherence to the Treaty is more
important that compliance, since failure to gain universality
limits the value of compliance. Shamaa complained that the
U.S. paper for the second (2008) PrepCom mentions Israel only
once and in connection with the peace process rather than
with NPT universality or full-scope IAEA safeguards. He said
that the United States needs to commit clearly and
unequivocally to strengthening the NPT by emphasizing
universality, calling on Israel to join the NPT, accept
full-scope safeguards, and join in a MENWFZ.


8. (C) Hayward responded that the United States is willing
to discuss how to work toward implementation of the 1995
Middle East resolution and that implementation will require
"baby steps," and take time. One such baby step, she
suggested, could be a technical workshop involving - at a
minimum - scientists from Egypt, Israel, and the United
States to discuss technical cooperation relevant to building
confidence on regional security. Topics could include
nuclear and border security, radiation detection, and
consequence management. Gabr asked whether the workshop
would be a substitute for major steps like Israeli acceptance
of full-scope IAEA safeguards, and Hayward assured her that
is not intended to do so. Shamaa responded - incorrectly -
that the U.S. proposal represents some form of nuclear
cooperation with Israel, which he pointed out should not be
done. Gabr asked for additional details, indicating that
Egypt would "study" the proposal, and Hayward replied that
the United States would provide a non-paper to help answer
these questions. (COMMENT: This non-paper will be provided
septel. END COMMENT)


9. (C) Gabr said that success in the NPT gives Egypt
"strength" and reiterated its call for "steps to strengthen
the credibility of the NPT" and "strong political signals."
Shamaa opined that the necessary first step is for Israel to
accept full-scope safeguards and questioned the U.S.
commitment to the MENWFZ by citing a September 4 statement by
the State Department spokesman. The U.S. delegation was not
aware of this statement but assured the Egyptian side that
the United States continues to support the 1995 Middle East
resolution, including a Middle East WMD-free zone. (COMMENT:
Based on what the spokesman actually said, which follows,
Shamaa's suggestion seems unwarranted - Question: "(Syrian)
President Asad said that it is time to talk about
nuclear-free Middle East. What is U.S. position on that?
Does the United States support this idea - nuclear free
Middle East?" Mr. Wood: "Our policy is very clear on that.
Obviously, that,s something we would like to see. But we
also have to take into account the political realities of the
region. We,d eventually like to see something like that.
But obviously, that,s something that will have to be worked
out politically in the region. There are certain political
realities that have to be taken into account." END COMMENT)



10. (C) Shamaa went on to say that NPT papers are serious
statements of policy and argued that the United States should
give a clear statement of its policy on MENWFZ. In
criticizing the U.S. paper submitted at the 2008 PrepCom,
Shamaa said that instead of focusing solely on Iran and

STATE 00101698 003 OF 003


Syria, the U.S. needs to deliver a clear and unambiguous
statement calling on Israel to adhere to the treaty and
accept full-scope safeguards. He then asked how the third
PrepCom can reach a substantive outcome. Hayward replied
that we should try to make recommendations on NPT matters on
which we can agree, even if we cannot agree on all of them.
Shamaa seemed skeptical, replying that NPT parties register a
vote of confidence in the Treaty when they achieve a final
document and that it hurts the NPT when they do not, implying
that agreement on everything is necessary for a final
document. He also criticized the United States on Article VI
grounds, asserting that as long as we keep nuclear weapons,
we should not expect others not to pursue such weapons.
El-Fadly said steps that can be taken toward a regional NWFZ
prior to the achievement of Middle East peace have not been
exhausted. He said Egypt asks why Israel needs a nuclear
weapons capability if it does not help with the
Israeli-Palestinian situation and when Israel is already
under a U.S. nuclear umbrella. El-Fadly also accused the
United States of parroting Israeli positions on these issues.

(U) IAEA GENERAL CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS ON MIDDLE EAST ISSUES


11. (C) Gabr made clear that Egypt does not accept linkage
between the two IAEA GC resolutions on Middle East issues and
said that Cairo would value any initiative taken by the
United States to resolve the matter. Hayward said that the
United States believes the resolutions must be linked and
that Egypt and Israel should engage directly on the GC
resolutions. She suggested that Egypt's Ambassador to the
IAEA, Ehab Fawzy, be given the authority to negotiate on
their text in Vienna. Gabr said that Fawzy is empowered to
"discuss and report back to Cairo." If he does not engage in
negotiations with the Israelis on their proposed edits to the
Egyptian-drafted Middle East safeguards resolution, which she
characterized as "killing amendments," it is because he knows
they are not "workable" for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Gabr added that Egypt's approach to the resolution is linked
to the NPT.

(U) GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM


12. (C) Hayward urged Egypt to join the Global Initiative
this year, adding that Egyptian leadership on combating
nuclear terrorism would be an asset to the effort. She
provided a package of material on the Initiative. Gabr said
Egypt is "extremely cautious" about such cooperation, is
accustomed to working within the UN framework, and prefers to
do so. (COMMENT: After the meeting, El-Fadly told Davis
that Egypt is not joining such initiatives because Israel has
done nothing to join the nonproliferation regime. END
COMMENT)
RICE