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

UNCLAS CAIRO 000132 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR PRM/A, PRM/AFR, PRM/ANE, PRM/MCE 
ROME PLEASE PASS TO MFO (LAROCCO) 
GENEVA FRO RMA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SU EG KREF UNHCR
SUBJECT: UNHCR ASKS EGYPT TO DELAY DEPORTING SUDANESE 
DETAINEES PENDING REFUGEE DETERMINATIONS 
 
REF: A. CAIRO 58 
 
     ¶B. CAIRO 82 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) The GOE has not yet begun deportation of Sudanese 
detainees.  Interior Ministry contacts advised on January 8 
that the 72 hour grace period given to UNHCR to interview 
Sudanese detainees (see Refs A and B) had expired, and the 
GOE had not yet determined whether to give UNHCR additional 
time to make refugee status determinations on the detainees. 
MFA contacts also confirmed that the situation remains under 
discussion. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  UNHCR's representative in Cairo Saad al Attar 
advised Refcoord that the High Commissioner sent a personal 
letter to FM Aboul Gheit on January 6 noting that UNHCR had 
screened the 631 Sudanese under GOE detention and asking for 
additional time to complete the review of the detainees 
status.  UNHCR said it has placed the detainees in four 
categories: 
1)  145 individuals who had registered but lost their 
documents when evicted from the park 
2)  57 individuals from Darfur who should be protected within 
the terms of the 1967 OAU convention 
3)  99 vulnerable cases (women and children) 
4)  326 individuals who either had been screened (years ago) 
and rejected (but nonetheless should have their cases 
reviewed) or are unregistered. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) According to Al Attar, UNHCR determined that the 
Sudanese in categories one, two and three should be released 
and permitted to stay.  However making due process refugee 
status determinations (including screening/interviews, status 
determinations, and appeals) on those in category four would 
require at least one month (using approximately 9 lawyers 
plus support staff).  Al Attar said that UNHCR had offered to 
allow the GOE to embed its own personnel in the refugee 
status determination teams.  As of January 8, the MFA had not 
responded to UNHCR's request, but Al Attar said he believes 
the GOE will agree to allow UNHCR more time to make the 
refugee status determinations and will not begin deportations 
in the immediate future. 
 
RICCIARDONE