Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CAIRO145
2009-01-27 14:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
SENIOR EGYPTIAN OFFICIAL WELCOMES RECENT POTUS
how-toVZCZCXRO6042 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHEG #0145 0271456 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 271456Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1481 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS CAIRO 000145
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NSC FOR PASCUAL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG
SUBJECT: SENIOR EGYPTIAN OFFICIAL WELCOMES RECENT POTUS
COMMENTS
Sensitive but unclassified. Not for Internet distribution.
UNCLAS CAIRO 000145
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NSC FOR PASCUAL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG
SUBJECT: SENIOR EGYPTIAN OFFICIAL WELCOMES RECENT POTUS
COMMENTS
Sensitive but unclassified. Not for Internet distribution.
1. (SBU) The Egyptian leadership is taking notice of, and
welcoming, President Obama's recent outreach to Egypt, and
focus on the Middle East peace process. Safwat El Sherif,
the powerful secretary-general of the ruling National
Democratic Party and speaker of the Shura Council (Egypt's
upper house of parliament),has long been chilly to the U.S.,
disdaining contact with USG officials and often making
negative public remarks about the USG. In an
uncharacteristic move, Sherif, arguably the most influential
politician in Egypt after Hosni Mubarak, made comments to
journalists on January 24 that were relatively warm towards
President Obama. In a statement that was highlighted in the
premier government newspaper "Al Ahram" and subsequently on
the ruling party's website, Sherif said that the President's
January 21 call to Hosni Mubarak "is an initiative that
reflects a change (in U.S. policy). demonstrating that the
new U.S. administration is keen to listen to the views of the
most important country in the Middle East (Egypt)." Sherif
also flagged President Obama's January 22 comments at the
State Department on U.S. policy in the Middle East, noting
that they were "positive."
2. (SBU) Sherif underscored "the importance of the U.S.
approach in the coming phase, as it works to regain its
credibility as a neutral partner in the peace process," and
stressed his hope that the USG would stop using "double
standards" when dealing with Israel and Arab countries.
While Sherif's comments may seem unremarkable, the relatively
positive tone towards the U.S. is quite unusual in the
current Egyptian context, and significant coming from someone
normally so critical of the USG. Sherif's commentary, and
the subsequent orchestrated highlighting of his remarks in
GOE mouthpieces, is a clear signal of the Egyptian
leadership's appreciation of administration moves to date.
SCOBEY
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NSC FOR PASCUAL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG
SUBJECT: SENIOR EGYPTIAN OFFICIAL WELCOMES RECENT POTUS
COMMENTS
Sensitive but unclassified. Not for Internet distribution.
1. (SBU) The Egyptian leadership is taking notice of, and
welcoming, President Obama's recent outreach to Egypt, and
focus on the Middle East peace process. Safwat El Sherif,
the powerful secretary-general of the ruling National
Democratic Party and speaker of the Shura Council (Egypt's
upper house of parliament),has long been chilly to the U.S.,
disdaining contact with USG officials and often making
negative public remarks about the USG. In an
uncharacteristic move, Sherif, arguably the most influential
politician in Egypt after Hosni Mubarak, made comments to
journalists on January 24 that were relatively warm towards
President Obama. In a statement that was highlighted in the
premier government newspaper "Al Ahram" and subsequently on
the ruling party's website, Sherif said that the President's
January 21 call to Hosni Mubarak "is an initiative that
reflects a change (in U.S. policy). demonstrating that the
new U.S. administration is keen to listen to the views of the
most important country in the Middle East (Egypt)." Sherif
also flagged President Obama's January 22 comments at the
State Department on U.S. policy in the Middle East, noting
that they were "positive."
2. (SBU) Sherif underscored "the importance of the U.S.
approach in the coming phase, as it works to regain its
credibility as a neutral partner in the peace process," and
stressed his hope that the USG would stop using "double
standards" when dealing with Israel and Arab countries.
While Sherif's comments may seem unremarkable, the relatively
positive tone towards the U.S. is quite unusual in the
current Egyptian context, and significant coming from someone
normally so critical of the USG. Sherif's commentary, and
the subsequent orchestrated highlighting of his remarks in
GOE mouthpieces, is a clear signal of the Egyptian
leadership's appreciation of administration moves to date.
SCOBEY