Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USUNNEWYORK129
2009-02-12 19:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USUN New York
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR RICE'S MEETING WITH EGYPTIAN PR

Tags:  PREL UNGA PHUM EG SU 
pdf how-to read a cable
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FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5830
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 2022
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1412
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).

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