This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS CAIRO 003767 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC PGOV KPAO EG
SUBJECT:  MUBARAK BLAMES DEMONSTRATIONS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT; 
GAMAL SPEAKS:  EGYPTIAN MEDIA THEMES, MAY 10 TO 15 
 
 
¶1.  Constitutional reform:  The People's Assembly debate 
and approval of a constitutional amendment to article 76 
dominated media coverage May 10 - 15.  Viewers of Egyptian 
TV and pan-Arab satellite channels Al-Jazeera and Al- 
Arabiya on May 10 - 11 saw scenes of heated debate, with 
Ayman Nour and Muslim Brotherhood (MB) parliamentarians 
walking out.  Predictably, the pro-government press liked 
the proposed amendment; the opposition and independent 
media did not.  For example, a May 14 comment in opposition 
daily Al Wafd (circulation:  200,000) called for a boycott 
on the upcoming referendum because of "the political crime 
the parliament, the Shura Council, and NDP officials have 
committed by undermining Mubarak's constitutional reform 
initiative." 
 
¶2.  President Mubarak blames demonstrations for 
unemployment:  Mubarak's interview with the Kuwaiti 
newspaper Al Siyassa ("Politics") was reprinted in full by 
pro-government newspapers Al Akhbar (circulation: 800,000) 
and Al Ahram (circulation:  750,000) on May 14.  In the Al 
Ahram version of the interview, Mubarak alleged that the 
"Kifaya" (Enough) movement "had been paid" for its recent 
demonstrations, and he blamed "unjustified demonstrations 
for chasing away foreign investment and increasing 
unemployment."  Mubarak further claimed that the MB wished 
to seize power and "reign forever, causing unrest in the 
country."  On May 15, however, Al Ahram published a 
correction stating that its version of Mubarak's interview 
had been "twisted" and that the version published in Al 
Akhbar was more accurate.  (Note:  It is rare for an 
Egyptian publication to print a correction.  End note.) 
While Al Ahram did not specify what needed to be corrected, 
only Al Ahram quoted Mubarak, in a sub-headline, saying 
that he was "awake to" alleged USG - MB talks and that he 
had "information" on them. 
 
¶3.  Gamal speaks:  On May 12, Gamal Mubarak held a press 
conference to discuss article 76 and Egypt's democratic 
future.  Embassy contacts working for western media outlets 
told PA Officer that this press conference was most likely 
organized principally for their benefit, noting that Gamal 
began taking questions first in English and from western 
media reps. One western media contact summarized the 
content as follows:  "The press conference boiled down to 
Gamal saying, 'You guys in the western media just don't 
understand us.'"  Another suggested that Gamal was 
"defiant" in his answers and reluctant to address questions 
about the Kifaya movement, finally asking, "Who are these 
Kifaya guys?  Who cares?" 
 
¶4.  Al Jazeera reporters arrested:  Egyptian website 
Masrawy.com reported that eight reporters and technicians 
with Al Jazeera satellite TV in Cairo were detained and 
questioned for several hours on May 13 after filming a 
conference at the Judges' Club.  (Note:  The Judges' Club 
conference had been convened to decide whether or not 
judges should agree to monitor this year's presidential 
elections.  End note.)  Among those detained was Al 
Jazeera's Cairo bureau chief.  The reporters later filed 
their report, noting that their detention was "added salt 
and pepper" on the day's events. 
 
¶5.  "An (Israeli) Embassy in the Building":  Superstar 
comic actor Adel Imam held a May 11 press conference to 
promote his latest film, "An Embassy in the Building," to 
be released in July.  His character in the film, an oil 
engineer, spends 25 years in Dubai and then returns to 
Egypt to discover that the Israeli Embassy is next door to 
his apartment.  Imam claimed in his press conference that 
the film "is a message to Israel and any other country 
Egypt has signed peace agreements with, to make them 
understand the ordinary Egyptian citizen's point of view." 
Imam also stressed that the film is a comedy and not 
political.  (Note:  Adel was recently embroiled in a 
controversy with pro-government weekly magazine Al Ahram Al 
Arabi (circulation: 10,000), which had accused him of 
attacking Egypt's July Revolution in an Israeli magazine. 
The magazine later publicly apologized to Imam for the 
article.  End note.) 
 
GRAY