VZCZCXYZ0017
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #4200/01 1900400
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 090400Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9737
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 004200 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOJ PASS TO BRUCE SWARTZ 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2016 
TAGS: PGOV KJUS EG
SUBJECT: AG GONZALES MEETING WITH PRESIDENT MUBARAK
 
 
Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Jones for 
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (C) In a July 1 meeting in his office, a cordial and 
receptive Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak discussed the 
ongoing Gaza crisis with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. 
Mubarak described Hamas leadership as ""untrustworthy,"" and 
stressed that if the situation continues to escalate, it will 
become ""irreversible"".  He noted his personal efforts to work 
with both the Israelis and Palestinians to develop a workable 
solution resulting in the release of Israeli Army Cpl. Gilad 
Shalit, and to convince the Palestinians that Israel would 
not accept ""conditions.""  He also mocked Hamas' insistence on 
""international guarantees.""  He noted that in one of his two 
telephone conversations with Olmert (since the Gaza crisis 
erupted June 25) that Olmert had already told Abu Mazen in 
Jordan a few days earlier the he would release some prisoners 
when they would next meet, but there was no way that Olmert 
would agree to name particular prisoners in advance or to 
specify a number. 
 
¶2.  (C) Mubarak said he warned Syrian President Bashar 
al-Assad explicitly that he would pay a heavy price if he 
continued to allow Khalid Mishaal to stay in Syria.  He noted 
wryly that even as he was speaking with Assad, Israeli jets 
were buzzing Damascus -- ""Assad must have thought that I had 
arranged this with the Israelis, and this scared him.""  He 
also recapped the exchange a few days earlier between an 
emissary of Assad and EGIS Chief Soliman at Cairo's military 
airport (al-Maza), in which Soliman had caught out the 
Syrians in lying about their dealings with Mishaal, and had 
warned him in explicit terms about the danger that Mishaal's 
presence posed to the Assad regime itself. 
 
¶3.  (C) Mubarak reported that Turkey and Qatar were 
attempting to join efforts to resolve the Gaza crisis.  He 
judged that neither country could contribute much, but he had 
no objection to whatever they might do.  He said that each 
appeared to want to participate as a matter of their national 
prestige, rather than having specific influence on the 
Palestinians.  The Qataris had said as much, and had offered 
funding assistance.  Mubarak went on to criticize the 
Palestinians historically for ""only being interested in 
getting Arab money,"" and he criticized the Arabs for offering 
it.  From here, he went on to relate familiar stories of 
Saddam Hussein's bribery of Arafat during the Gulf War, and 
attempts to bribe Egyptian officials and journalists with 
luxury cars and, in Mubarak's case, with $25 million in cash. 
 
¶4. (C) AG Gonzales underscored his hope that the Gaza crisis 
can be resolved quickly and with minimal disruption for the 
Palestinian civilian population. He thanked Mubarak for his 
efforts, and offered to relay any request for assistance from 
the United States.  Mubarak asked that the United States 
""calm"" Israel, expressing concern that, should the situation 
in Gaza deteriorate further, the potential exists for 
elements of the Gaza population to overrun the Rafah border, 
and Egypt is ""not prepared"" for such an eventuality. Mubarak 
stressed that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is critical 
because the Palestinians had only five days worth of food, 
water, and medicine remaining. 
 
¶5. (C) Highlighting the daily incitement to terror televised 
by the Hezbollah-run Al Manar channel, Gonzales requested 
that GOE use existing laws to prohibit Al Manar from being 
broadcast via Egypt-based NileSat television.  Mubarak 
responded that Al Manar is a ""sensitive"" issue, and Egypt is 
not ready to prohibit it from utilizing NileSat, as this 
would create ""big problems with Hezbollah.""  Commenting on 
Egyptian relations with Iran, Mubarak expressed his personal 
reluctance to re-start diplomatic relations with Iran.  He 
underscored his recommendation that the United States work 
through diplomatic channels to address issues with the 
Iranians, and not consider the use of force, noting that 
Egypt's position towards Iran is ""balanced"" in order to avoid 
any escalation in tensions. 
 
¶6. (C)  Mubarak stated that he does not foresee a near-term 
solution to the current violence and political challenges in 
Iraq.  He described the Iraqi people as ""tough"" and in need 
of a strong leader with robust central authority, rather than 
a decentralized U.S.-style democracy. Expressing his concern 
about the rising influence of the Shiite population, 
especially in Iraq, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, 
Mubarak said the region overall is being ""threatened"" by 
increasing Shi'a power.  He cautioned AG Gonzales not to 
trust the Shiites, and warned, ""the Islamists will stab you 
in the back."" 
 
¶7. (C) AG Gonzales reviewed his June 29 meetings with the 
Minister of Justice, Minister of Interior, and Public 
Prosecutor General, commending the overall progress in new 
Egyptian legislation in promoting the rule of law, and 
praising Mrs. Mubarak for her work on trafficking in persons 
issues. 
 
¶8. (U) The Attorney General's staff has cleared on this cable. 
RICCIARDONE