AMBASSADOR RICE'S MEETING WITH EGYPTIAN PR

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000129 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2018 TAGS: PREL UNGA PHUM EG SU SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE'S MEETING WITH EGYPTIAN PR ABDELAZIZ Classified By: Ambassador Susan E. Rice for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. In his introductory meeting with Ambassador Rice, Egyptian PR Abdelaziz discussed Egypt's efforts to improve the atmosphere of the Durban conference; urged that the Security Council defer the imminent ICC indictment of Sudanese President Bashir; agreed that UN peacekeeping operations require serious reform; said he did not expect the issue of Gaza to resurface in the Security Council or General Assembly unless some new activity on the ground occurred; and noted that the Arab League wants to send an investigative mission to Gaza. End Summary. ¶2. (C) In a February 11, 2009 introductory meeting with Egyptian PermRep Magid Abdelaziz, Ambassador Rice emphasized the wide-ranging nature of the U.S.-Egyptian bilateral relationship, saying that multilateral work here in New York reinforces the bilateral relationship and vice versa. We have common interests in working on the Middle East conflict, she said, but the U.S. wants to work and consult with Egypt on the full range of issues, including the financial crisis, development, human rights, and more. Abdelaziz responded that he very much looked forward to working together on such a broad range of issues. ¶3. (C) Ambassador Rice pointed to the Durban conference as an example of an issue on which Egypt could be helpful to keep the focus of the conference where it should be, on anti-racism, instead of on anti-Israeli statements or debates about defamation of religion. Abdelaziz said Egypt is already trying to improve matters, and is working with the OIC and NAM on an informal basis to come up with less confrontational language. There are also opportunities here in NY, Abdelaziz pointed out, claiming that Egypt has been helpful on the General Assembly (GA) resolution on eliminating rape and is supportive on the issue of responsibility to protect, although it feels a gradual approach is necessary. Many in the NAM are afraid that this is simply another name for humanitarian intervention, Abdelaziz said, and are afraid it means that powerful countries will intervene to protect people from their own governments. (Comment: Abdelaziz's portrayal of Egypt as helpful was highly exaggerated. The U.S. and EU delegations generally consider Egypt to be one of the most vocally obstructionist and unhelpful of all the G77 delegations on most GA and ECOSOC issues, including humanitarian assistance. End comment.) ¶4. (C) Abdelaziz raised the imminent indictment of Sudanese President Bashir by the ICC and expressed concerns about its potentially destabilizing political consequences. He urged that the Security Council exercise its Article 16 authority and vote to defer the indictment. Rice commented that if justice is not seen to be done in this case and there is impunity for Bashir, it could send a message throughout Sudan, especially in the south, that atrocities can be committed without consequences. The international community cannot allow someone who has been judged by an impartial international organization to intimidate everyone else. Egypt has a chance to send a very strong message on this, she concluded. ¶5. (C) In response to a question from Ambassador Rice, Abdelaziz said Egypt feels very strongly that UN peacekeeping operations (PKOs) require reform. PKOs must be much more action-oriented, he insisted, and increasing numbers without increasing effectiveness is useless. Abdelaziz said he has had discussions with the Secretary General and Undersecretaries General about PKOs, but more is required. "120,000 peacekeepers is a sign of failure," he said, because it means that the issues could not be resolved politically. He added that he cannot say so in public, however, because many of the countries involved are Egypt's fellow African countries. He noted that most countries say they will rely on PKOs until they have built up their security sectors, but that they never get there. The UN must find better ways to both build capacity and reduce PKO forces, he said. ¶6. (C) Abdelaziz said he does not expect the issue of Gaza to come up again in the Council or the GA unless something new happens on the ground. He commented that some in the Arab League are studying the possibility of legal action against Israelis for "crimes against humanity," adding that the Arab League wants to send an investigative mission to Gaza. Rice