CODEL TAUSCHER'S APRIL 9 MEETING WITH PRESIDENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000615 FOR NEA AND H E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2019 TAGS: PREL KPAL IS IR EG SY SUBJECT: CODEL TAUSCHER'S APRIL 9 MEETING WITH PRESIDENT MUBARAK Classified By: DCM Matthew Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Key Points -- Iran: President Mubarak told CODEL Tauscher that using diplomacy and economic sanctions with Iran is far better than using force. Using force to solve the problems with Iran will led to instability in the region and an increase in terrorism. Mubarak has no plans to restore diplomatic relations with Iran. -- Syria: Syria is ready to renew peace discussions with Israel, but Israel is "not interested." -- Israel: Mubarak said he had recently spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu who offered to share a "plan for peace" with him; Mubarak has invited Netanyahu to visit Egypt when it is finalized. However, Mubarak fears that Israeli Foreign Minister Lieberman "will spoil the whole world." ¶2. (SBU) On April 9, Representatives Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), Michael Turner (R-OH),Loretta Sanchez (D-CA),Trent Franks (R-AZ),and Parker Griffith (D-AL) met with President Hosny Mubarak for one hour at the Presidential Palace in Cairo. Presidential Spokesman Soliman Awad, Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit, the Ambassador, three professional House staffers, and ECPO Minister Counselor as note taker also attended. Representative Tauscher thanked Mubarak for his friendship with the United States and his leadership in the region. -------------- Iran: Diplomacy Better Than Force -------------- ¶3. (C) Mubarak said using force to deal with Iran would lead to "a hell of a lot of problems." It would be far better to use diplomacy and economic sanctions to convince Iran to halt its nuclear program. "Egypt wants a nuclear free Middle East," Mubarak stressed. If the U.S. uses force against Iran, America's friends in the region -- particularly the GCC -- will bear the brunt of Iran's retaliation. Terrorism will increase. Israel would also be a target for Iranian aggression. "I told the Israelis that if you attack Iran's nuclear program, they will retaliate and force the U.S. to use force against them. This will lead to war, which will be a disaster for the whole region." -------------- No Plans to Restore Relations With Iran -------------- ¶4. (C) Mubarak said that he was "keen not to restore" diplomatic relations with Iran. He related how Egypt and Iran had been close to restoring relations during the presidency of Mohammad Khatami. "Khatami agreed to change the name of the street in Tehran named for Sadat's assassin. Instead, Ahmedinejad, who was mayor of Tehran at the time, placed a huge poster of the assassin on a building on Tehran's largest square. So two days before we were to restore relations, I postponed it." One danger about restoring diplomatic relations with Iran, Mubarak explained, would be the exploitation of Cairo as a cosmopolitan city and magnet for people from throughout the Arab and Muslim worlds. As Mubarak explained it, the Iranians would come in force, mingle with people from other countries, turn them into extremists, and they would return to their homelands to stir up trouble. -------------- Syria: Ready for Peace? -------------- ¶5. (C) Mubarak said that Syria was interested in re-opening peace discussions with Israel, but "Netanyahu will not accept this." Syria needs peace with Israel now, Mubarak opined, "especially after Lebanon." Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit said that Syria had tried to use the Turks to start a new process of negotiations with Israel, "but the Israelis are not interested." The new Israeli Foreign Minister is particularly problematic, Mubarak said. "He will spoil the whole world." Mubarak said he had invited Netanyahu to visit Egypt and to "share his ideas for peace with me," but Aboul Gheit said there would not be a similar invitation to Foreign Minister Lieberman. "Lieberman's remark about 'no concessions to the Palestinians except war' reminds me of the old leaders of Russia," Mubarak said. "All they could talk about was war, war, war. What we need is peace." ¶6. (U) CODEL Tauscher was unable to clear this cable before departure. SCOBEY