VZCZCXYZ0010
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #2162 1921301
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 111301Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6105

UNCLAS CAIRO 002162 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL EG
SUBJECT: CODEL LINCOLN-MCCOLLUM MEETING WITH EGYPTIAN 
PARLIAMENTARIANS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  A Congressional delegation comprised of 
Representatives Betty McCollum (D-MN) and Lincoln Davis 
(D-TN) met with Egyptian Peoples' Assembly Speaker Fathi 
Surour and fellow members of parliament on July 2.  Surour 
and his colleagues were highly critical of USG bilateral and 
regional foreign policy.  He contended that opposition 
parties in Egypt actively participate ) and freely criticize 
) the Egyptian government.  Both sides expressed gratitude 
for the USAID funded parliamentarian exchange program which 
facilitated the visit.  No Muslim Brotherhood 
parliamentarians attended the meeting. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Speaker Surour and fellow parliamentarians, 
including Peoples' Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee 
Chairman Mustapha El-Fekki and Al Wafd party leader Mahmoud 
Abaza, hosted Representatives McCollum and Davis, and two 
staffers, July 2 at the Peoples' Assembly.  Surour agreed 
with McCollum and Davis on the value of parliamentary 
exchange programs, and spoke at length on foreign policy, 
praising Egypt,s "positive role" in several crises (Iraq, 
Lebanon, Iran, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict), and 
criticizing USG policy, arguing that America has "created 
problems" in Iraq, and "allowed" Iran to increase its 
regional influence.  According to him, the U.S. 
administration has not done anything to solve the 
Israel-Palestinian problem -- "the key to regional peace, and 
stability in Egypt." 
 
¶3. (SBU) Surour said that the 88 "independent" Muslim 
Brotherhood members of the People's Assembly represent a 
"trend we recognize" both in Egypt and regionally.  He said 
that Iranian support of Hamas is proof that Muslims are 
united in spite of Shi,a-Sunni differences.  On human 
rights, Surour said that Guantanamo and other issues diminish 
America,s standing to criticize Egypt.  He complained about 
President Bush's June 5 Prague speech, criticizing American 
"fascination" with imprisoned Al Ghad Party leader Ayman Nour 
and noted civil society leader Saad Eddin Ibrahim.  People,s 
Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mustapha El-Fekki 
joined in this criticism, and added that conditioning USG 
assistance on internal matters was a threat to Egyptian 
"dignity." 
 
¶4. (SBU) Surour introduced Al Wafd party leader Mahmoud Abaza 
as the "opposition," and said that the two may argue but 
respect each other,s viewpoint, and are free to criticize 
each other.  Abaza agreed, and then reiterated Surour,s 
critique of USG foreign policy before making a vague call for 
democratic reform, saying that Egypt ) with its long history 
as a "centralized nation" - must adjust to modern notions of 
democracy. 
 
¶5. Representatives McCollum and Davis did not clear this 
message. 
RICCIARDONE