VZCZCXRO9426
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #2165/01 1921309
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111309Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6107
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 002165 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SINGH AND WATERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KISL EG
SUBJECT: MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD MP'S COMPLAIN: WHY WERE WE 
"EXCLUDED" FROM MEETING WITH CODEL? 
 
REF: A. CAIRO 2162 
     ¶B. CAIRO 1641 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1. (U) As reported ref A, on July 2, CODEL McCollum 
(comprised of Representative Betty McCollum (D-WI) and 
Representative Lincoln Davis (D-TN)), met with parliamentary 
speaker Fathi Surour and several other MP's.  CODEL McCollum 
was the first in a series of exchange visits between Congress 
and the Egyptian parliament, organized by an AID grantee 
tasked with enhancing contacts between the People's Assembly 
and Congress. 
 
¶2. (U) Unlike the experience of recent CODEL's Hoyer and 
Price (reftel), no "independent" MB MP's were invited by 
Speaker Surour to CODEL McCollum's meetings at parliament.  A 
July 7 article in independent daily Al Masry Al Yom, quoted 
Surour as saying that no MB MP was invited because, "the 
American delegation did not ask that all political powers in 
parliament, including those who call themselves the 'Muslim 
Brotherhood,' be invited, in contrast with the previous 
congressional delegation, which requested that an MB 
representative attend." In a July 1 statement on the MB's 
English-language website, the MB strongly objected to MB 
parliamentarians not being included in the meeting.  Full 
text of statement at para 4. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Comment: Given apparent MB anxieties regarding 
meeting with American officials, it is interesting to note 
the seeming evolution in the group's approach vis-a-vis U.S. 
Congressmen.  Evidently, not only will MB parliamentarians 
now willingly participate in meetings with their American 
counterparts, but they will roundly condemn not being given 
such an opportunity.  End comment. 
 
¶4. (U) Begin text of MB statement: 
 
The Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary bloc confirmed that it 
does not object to visiting the U.S. Congress and contacting 
it. 
 
Dr. Hamdi Hassan, the media spokesman of the Muslim 
Brotherhood (MB) parliamentary bloc, confirmed that the MB 
parliamentary bloc does not object to visiting the U.S., 
Congress and contacting it or any other body. This 
confirmation was in response to the commencement of the 
Egyptian parliament's exchange visit program with the U.S. 
Congress. The first of these exchange meetings will take 
place on Sunday, July 1, 2007 (sic), as some Egyptian MPs 
will meet a delegation from the U.S. Congress. 
 
Dr. Hamdi Hassan said in a statement to Ikhwanweb: 
"Unfortunately, there is no MB parliamentarian in the meeting 
scheduled to be held today, between Egyptian MPs and a 
delegation from the U.S. Congress.  According to the by-laws 
of the People's Assembly, when any delegation visits the 
People's Assembly, all political trends should have 
representatives on the Egyptian group that receives the 
delegation. The Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary bloc 
comprises 20 percent of the MPs of the People's Assembly, a 
rate that should never be ignored." 
 
"When a delegation from the Indonesian parliament visited the 
Egyptian People's Assembly, the delegation included 
representatives from all political parties in the Indonesian 
parliament, nearly eleven parties," added Hassan. 
 
Dr. Hamdi Hassan said: "The visit of the U.S. congressional 
delegation to the Egyptian People's Assembly is a part of an 
exchange of visits between the Egyptian People's Assembly and 
the U.S. Congress.  We do not object to holding any contact 
or meetings between some MPs who include a number of Muslim 
Brotherhood MPs and the Congressional delegation, if there is 
a coordination with the People's Assembly for holding such 
meeting or contacts." 
 
Asked about the fierce criticism from the Egyptian government 
because of a previous meeting between a U.S. congressional 
delegation and a number of MPs, including Dr. Saad Al 
Katatni, the MB bloc chief, Dr. Hamdi said: "It is crystal 
clear that Egyptian policies are contradictory.  This is 
because Dr. Saad is a member of the Egyptian parliament who 
can represent both the parliament and his homeland. The 
attitude of the Egyptian government and its Foreign Ministry 
is outlandish." 
 
End text of statement. 
 
CAIRO 00002165  002 OF 002 
 
 
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