(C) EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR COMES CALLING

C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000488 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA, SCA/PB, EUR/NB E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2019 TAGS: PREL KPAL EG IS SUBJECT: (C) EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR COMES CALLING Classified By: (U) Ambassador Laurie S. Fulton; reason 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Having recently hosted the Israeli Ambassador in response to the latter's request for a meeting, Ambassador Fulton invited Egyptian Ambassador Nabil Habashi to lunch October 29. They discussed one-on-one the Middle East and the Danish cartoon controversy. The Egyptian MFA has instructed Ambassador Habashi to seek additional security for himself and his embassy. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) MEPP: Ambassador Habashi (protect throughout) stressed that only the USG can pressure Israel to make the concessions needed to advance Middle East Peace. He said there is concern in his capital that the Administration is "losing steam" on the issue. He wondered about the role of Special Envoys in U.S. foreign policy. He predicted that progress on the MEPP will not be possible with Benjamin Netanyahu as Israeli Prime Minister. (NOTE: Amb. Habashi said that Egypt does not like to refer to the "Peace Process" because "process" indicates there is no result contemplated quickly and Israel uses it to continue to delay. END NOTE.) ¶3. (C) Discussing recent headlines in Danish newspapers regarding arrests and indictment of two persons in Chicago, Habashi discussed the recurring Danish cartoon controversy. He explained that his predecessor at the time of the initial crisis, a woman, was deeply involved in coordinating the Muslim response in Copenhagen. Her successor, also a woman, fell ill and it took a year and a half to replace her (with him, a Copt). When the offending cartoons were republished last year in Denmark, Egypt chose not to react. Since his arrival three months ago, the cartoons have been republished again. Cairo has affirmed his decision to ignore them despite pressure from the Pakistani ambassador, who approached MFA as chair of the OIC, said republication of these cartoons must cease. When MFA sought to determine from Amb. Habashi whether this was also Egypt's position, he made clear that she did not speak for Egypt. ¶4. (C) As part of the discussion of newspapers articles about the Chicago indictment, Habashi questioned the timing of Denmark's press remarks and whether it was an indication of increased threats during COP-15. (The Ambassador indicated that based upon the news stories, the Danish press seemed to have resulted from announcement of the indictments in the U.S.) Habashi confided that his ministry recently instructed him to request additional security for himself and his embassy; he did not explain why. FULTON