VZCZCXRO6402
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #2648/01 1271506
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 071506Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7879
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0123
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 1340

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CAIRO 002648 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ROME (FOR LAROCCO) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/06/2016 
TAGS: PREL PHUM MASS UN EG IS IR SU KPAL KNNP KMFO
SUBJECT: PM A/S HILLEN DISCUSSES FMF, SINAI SECURITY, IRAN, 
AND DARFUR WITH FOREIGN AND DEFENSE MINISTERS 
 
REF: A. STATE 20173 
     ¶B. STATE 66050 
     ¶C. STATE 68575 
 
Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4(b) and ( d). 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) Visiting PM A/S Hillen, joined by the Ambassador, 
discussed Darfur, security assistance, Sinai security and 
regional cooperation with FM Aboul Gheit and Defense Minister 
Tantawi April 30.  On Sudan, Aboul Gheit said that Egypt 
would only send more forces to Sudan with Khartoum's full 
support.  Tantawi said the GOE would try to convince Sudan to 
accept an international UN force.  On Iran, Aboul Gheit 
deflected strong concerns raised by A/S Hillen about Iran's 
nuclear program and urged the U.S. not to avoid discussion of 
the Israeli nuclear program.  Tantawi warned the U.S. against 
using non-diplomatic tactics to resolve the matter.  On Sinai 
security, both Aboul Gheit and Tantawi voiced relief that the 
U.S. intends to maintain current levels of support for the 
Multinational Observer Force (MFO).  On security assistance, 
Tantawi welcomed Hillen's assurance of the Administration's 
full support for current funding levels.  On U.S. concerns 
about funding to Hamas, Aboul Gheit stressed that the means 
must be found quickly to fund food and essential services for 
the Palestinians.  End summary. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Aboul Gheit on Darfur, Regional Affairs, MFO 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Darfur:  Aboul Gheit, noting he had just sent the 
Secretary a message on Sudan, told A/S Hillen and the 
 
SIPDIS 
Ambassador April 30 that Sudan was willing to sign an 
agreement on the Darfur crisis, but that the rebels were 
stalling.  He said urgent and forceful action would be needed 
to break the deadlock and called for Deputy Secretary 
Zoellick to travel immediately to the region to assist. 
Aboul Gheit also suggested that the United States had 
committed a tactical error in announcing in advance firm 
support for use of UN peacekeepers and possibly also NATO 
assets.  He said that a more subtle effort to win GOS support 
first might have been more successful and would have 
prevented stalling by the rebels. He lamented that the U.S. 
did not consult more closely with the GOE.  It was now time 
to "ask Cameron Hume to bang on the table," and press hard. 
 
¶3. (C) Aboul Gheit said that Egypt would be willing to send 
more forces to Sudan, but only upon the request and with the 
full support of the GOS.  Acknowledging the complexity of the 
internal dynamics, he stressed the importance for any 
military force entering Sudan to be African.  To avoid any 
anti-colonial sentiment, any non-African forces should not, 
he warned, be of European origin. 
 
¶4. (C) Iran:  In response to Hillen's comments on the U.S. 
commitment to resolving the Iran nuclear dispute 
diplomatically, Aboul Gheit asked if the U.S. worry was just 
about Iran or about freedom from nuclear weapons in the 
Middle East region as a whole.  Hillen said the U.S. is 
presently focused on Iran and will not link the issue with 
Israel.  Aboul Gheit complained about what he said the Arab 
public views as a U.S. double standard, and urged that 
nuclear policies be applied even-handedly.  By continuing to 
shield the Israelis, he said, the credibility of the U.S. was 
being undermined.  Aboul Gheit pressed the United States to 
work to create a nuclear-free Middle East and said Egypt 
supported the U.S. in the IAEA because its position was 
consistent with support for the creation of the nuclear 
weapons free zone. 
 
¶5. (C) Iraq:  A/S Hillen stressed that the U.S. will not 
leave Iraq until it is democratic, stable, able to maintain 
internal security, and is not a threat to its neighbors. 
Aboul Gheit replied that Egypt and the United States see 
"eye-to-eye" on Iraq, but said that the issue is how to 
achieve our joint objectives to bring about positive changes. 
 Hillen emphasized that the Arab League should seize the 
opportunity to play a role in Iraq. 
 
CAIRO 00002648  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶6. (C) MFO:  FM Aboul Gheit welcomed A/S Hillen's statement 
that the United States does not intend to lessen its 
commitment to the MFO.  Egypt does not want to lose the MFO, 
and is committed to improving security for MFO forces, Aboul 
Gheit said.  Hillen told Aboul Gheit that the U.S. would 
support talks between the U.S., Egypt, Israel, and the MFO 
aimed at ensuring that the Treaty of Peace does not impede 
Egypt's efforts to meet its counterterrorism objectives in 
the Sinai.  Aboul Gheit responded that the Sinai is solely in 
Egypt's control, but conceded that the situation on the 
border could be subject to discussion. 
 
¶7. (C) Hamas:  In reply to concerns raised by the Ambassador 
about international funds flowing to Hamas through Egyptian 
banks, Aboul Gheit warned that means must be found quickly to 
meet the needs of the Palestinian people for food and 
essential supplies.  It was not enough, he said, for the U.S. 
and others to cut off Hamas without regard for the 
consequences.  He said that the U.S. had recently rejected 
every option in the London meetings.  Egypt does not want to 
further weaken Abbas, nor does it want "an explosion" on its 
border.  Aboul Gheit noted that most of the PA employees are 
or were Fatah supporters.  They would soon switch over to 
Hamas if they continue to be unpaid to find ways to feed 
their families, he said. 
 
¶8. (C) UN Issues:  The Ambassador urged Egypt to support 
Guatemala (per Ref A) in the up-coming election for Non-Perm 
Rep to the UNSC.  Aboul Gheit, noting he was having lunch 
that day with the Guatemalan Ambassador, indicated that the 
GOE would carefully consider voting for Guatemala over 
Venezuela.  Aboul Gheit did not respond substantively to the 
Ambassador's request (per Ref B/C) that Egypt not support UN 
Human Rights Council membership for Iran or other countries 
with  records of human rights abuses.  (Note:  The 
relationship between Egypt and Iran is such that Egypt's 
support for the Iranian candidacy is highly unlikely.  End 
note). 
 
------------------------------------- 
Tantawi on FMF, Iran, MFO, and Darfur 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (C)  Defense Minister Tantawi and A/S Hillen, joined by 
the Ambassador, discussed the International Medical Center 
(IMC), FMF and regional cooperation, Sudan, and the MFO 
during their April 30 meeting. On the IMC, Tantawi said he 
does not want to close the hospital, but may need to because 
the operating costs are so great compared to the meager 
revenue. Hillen thanked the Minister for his cooperation in 
suspending treatment of non-authorized personnel while the 
Department resolves the matter according to the law. 
 
¶10.  (C)  FMF:  Hillen told Tantawi that the Administration 
supports the full FMF package for 2007 and will look for more 
opportunities to strengthen the strategic partnership with 
Egypt. Egypt's cooperation on issues such as Iran, Iraq, and 
Sudan is key, Hillen noted.  (Note: In a follow-on meeting, 
other MoD officials warned that the U.S. should not try to 
use FMF to leverage political reform. Hillen explained that 
democratic reform is a priority for the Administration and 
that given this reality, Egypt should be prepared to address 
Washington's questions on this issue. End note.) 
 
¶11.  (C)  In response to Tantawi's query on Iran, A/S Hillen 
reiterated the U.S. commitment to solving the matter 
diplomatically and asked for Egypt to play a leadership role 
to influence Iran to cooperate with the international 
community. Tantawi stressed that addressing the Iranian 
situation via means other than diplomacy would be very 
dangerous. He also reminded Hillen that Egyptian-Iranian 
relations are bad but confirmed the GOE's support for the 
U.S. on Iran. 
 
¶12.  (C)  Egypt's field hospital in Afghanistan, Hillen 
observed, is a good example of how Egypt's humanitarian 
contributions support U.S. security objectives. Hillen urged 
Tantawi to explore ways to maximize the hospital's impact, 
possibly by establishing a link with an Afghan medical school 
to train Afghan doctors and nurses. Signaling his 
receptiveness to the idea, Tantawi directed his staff to 
 
CAIRO 00002648  003 OF 003 
 
 
research the matter and report back to him. 
 
¶13.  (C)  Darfur: When Hillen raised the urgency of the 
Darfur crisis, Tantawi expressed doubt that Sudan could be 
convinced to accept an international UN mission in Darfur. 
But after Hillen explained that the President is focused on 
this issue and asked Egypt to urge the Government of Sudan to 
accept a humanitarian force, Tantawi agreed to try. (Note: In 
a follow on meeting with other MoD officials, Hillen again 
stressed the urgency of the Darfur matter and asked for 
Egypt's support in influencing the Government of Sudan. End 
note). 
 
¶14.  (C)  MFO: On the MFO and security in the Sinai, Hillen 
said that the he does not anticipate any drawdown in U.S. 
troops, particularly given the April terrorist incidents. It 
will be important, Hillen said, not to allow the Treaty of 
Peace to impair Egypt's counterterrorism program.  He noted 
that the U.S. would support discussions with Egypt, Israel, 
and the MFO to ensure that Egypt's counterterrorism efforts 
can continue.  The Minister acknowledged the complexity of 
the situation in the Sinai. 
RICCIARDONE