DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO STRATEGIC DIALOGUE NEXT

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 073829 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2019 TAGS: OPDC PREL EAID EG SUBJECT: DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO STRATEGIC DIALOGUE NEXT STEPS REF: A. CAIRO 1197 ¶B. CAIRO 1261 CLASSIFIED BY NEA ACTING A/S JEFFREY FELTMAN. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) The Department appreciates Post's suggestions on the way forward for the U.S.-Egypt strategic dialogue (reftel) and agrees in principle to the structure you have proposed. We note the following points of clarification: - The "senior experts' level working groups" you proposed should be held at the A/S or DAS level. These meetings can be scheduled in conjunction with international events (such as the Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva),or they can be set as the working groups deem appropriate. - These working groups will focus primarily on Africa and multilateral issues. NEA will oversee Middle East issues, which are handled in ongoing high- level meetings between our two countries. NEA/ELA will manage bilateral issues with the Egyptian MFA's Americas desk, which will also include discussion of democracy, human rights, and civil society issues. The Department encourages Post to seek Egyptian support for establishing an official working group on human rights and political reform and appoint a POC. - Other senior-level discussions with the GOE will emphasize the importance of making progress in democracy, governance and human rights in Egypt. In addition, we agree to Post's proposal of a separate, unofficial dialogue between Egyptian and U.S. civil society leaders (ref B). - Ambassador Scobey, in collaboration with Deputy Secretary Lew and with the support of Acting DFA Greene, will lead any discussions on aid. - The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs has agreed to explore a possible economic component of the strategic dialogue, but a final decision awaits the appointment of an Under Secretary for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs. ¶2. (C) We concur that our first priority should be discussions on human rights and IAEA issues in advance of the Human Rights Council meeting and the IAEA Board of Governors conference. NEA/ELA will work with IO, DRL and ISN to determine their availability for such meetings. NEA/ELA will also work with other bureaus? guided by your draft schedule?to determine the appropriate timing of working group meetings. CLINTON