VZCZCXYZ0022
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #1458/01 1371414
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171414Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5238
INFO RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 1447
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 0805
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS CAIRO 001458 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER KPAL EG IS
SUBJECT: USSC AND EGYPTIAN DEFENSE OFFICIALS DISCUSS 
PALESTINIAN PRESIDENTIAL GUARD TRAINING 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for internet distribution. 
 
Summary 
-------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) US Security Coordinator (USSC) representatives 
asked Egyptian Ministry of Defense (MoD) officials to 
consider training Palestinian Presidential Guard (PG) forces 
and toured a potential training facility during their May 
16-17 visit to Cairo.  MoD officials expressed unambiguous 
interest in training the PG in the range of mission essential 
tasks USSC described, but requested detailed requirements in 
order to provide a cost estimate. MoD will confirm officially 
its willingness/ability to train the PG by early June. End 
summary. 
 
USSC Presidential Guard Training Proposal 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During a May 16 introductory meeting, USSC 
representatives COL Rupp, John Collins and LCDR Martin, 
joined by Emboffs, asked the Deputy Chief of MoD's Training 
Authority, MG Fattah Farrag, if Egypt has the capability and 
willingness to train Palestinian Presidential Guard forces in 
Egypt.  MoD's MG Ahmed Mo'taz, Director of US relations, BG 
Ahmed Agad, Egyptian Training Authority, and LTCOL Mohammed 
Fouad, Egyptian Training Authority, also attended the 
meeting.  After COL Rupp provided an overview of the PG 
training proposal, he and Mr. Collins made the following 
points: 
 
-- Substance of training:  The Palestinians and USSC have not 
yet finalized and prioritized the tasks considered essential 
to the PG mission.  The tasks may include:  presidential 
protection, VIP security, rapid response to law and order 
incidents, security of high profile court cases, security of 
election committees, special operations (counter-terrorism, 
hostage rescue), and border security.  USSC will give MoD the 
detailed prioritized requirements as soon as they are final. 
 
-- Funding limits:  US regulations prohibit the use of the 
USG funding to finance the procurement of vehicles or of 
equipment needed for lethal training.  USSC will explore 
other possible sources of funds for these needs. 
 
-- Vetting:  The US and Israel will vet the names of proposed 
PG trainees. 
 
-- Training format:  The training will include a core program 
in the "mission essential tasks," as well as a parallel 
train-the-trainer program. 
 
-- Training package:  The US would expect Egypt to provide 
the trainees with classroom instruction, field training, 
billeting/mess, medical care, and transport. 
 
-- Training Duration/timing:  The US would like the training 
to begin by August 2007.  The course program will likely run 
in six-week sessions for a period of six months. 
 
-- US Oversight:  The USG will require that USSC, Department 
of State, and USG civilian contractors have access to the 
training facility and trainees in order to observe, assist, 
and report on the USG-sponsored program. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) COL Rupp asked MG Farrag to advise in official 
channels of the GOE's willingness and capability to provide 
PG training.  The USSC representatives also asked MoD to 
consider allowing State/DS ATA trainers to train Presidential 
Guard forces at an Egyptian facility.  MoD officials said 
that this would be difficult, given Egyptian sensitivities, 
and suggested instead that the MoD provide that training as 
well. 
 
Ministry of Defense Ready and Willing to Train PG 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) MoD officials expressed a strong interest in 
training the PG.  They predicted they will be able to train 
in all of the possible mission essential tasks, but asked for 
USSC's specific training requirements and more detail on the 
unit sizes in order to provide cost estimates.  MoD officials 
also pressed for information on the amount of money available 
for the training.  MG Mo'taz asked if the "59 million" he had 
heard mentioned during a recent visit to Washington was the 
applicable figure.  The USSC representatives declined to 
discuss finances, noting only that there is a very limited 
 
amount of money set aside for PG training.  MoD officials 
stressed that USSC would need to identify a source of funding 
for the equipment that the US will not fund (lethal and 
vehicles). 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On May 17, MoD and USSC officials and emboffs 
visited the Haykstep military base, which MoD proposes using 
for PG billeting/mess, infirmary, classroom instruction, and 
designated field exercises.  MG Farrag said that the GOE is 
refurbishing the facilities specifically for the Palestinians 
at GOE expense, but would not seek reimbursement for this 
work.  The base, which is located approximately 30 kilometers 
east of Cairo, is approximately 10-15 kilometers from the 
ranges where the bulk of the tactical training will occur. MG 
Farrag offered to arrange a visit to the tactical training 
site during the second week of June.  COL Rupp said he will 
need to see all training sites and facilities.  The USSC and 
MoD officials agreed to confer further on details of the 
proposed training via the embassy representatives in the 
coming weeks. 
 
¶6.  (U) USSC representatives Rupp and Collins cleared this 
cable. 
RICCIARDONE