VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #3420 3401346
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061346Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7656
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS CAIRO 003420 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA AND DRL/NESCA 
NSC FOR PASCUAL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM EG
SUBJECT: IRI GARNERING ATTENTION FROM RULING PARTY AND PRESS 
 
REF: CAIRO 3343 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Over the past week the activities of the 
International Republican Institute (IRI) have garnered an 
unusual amount of attention, following on the heels of the 
Deputy Foreign Minister's November 21 complaint to us about 
IRI (reftel).  In a clear signal of the GOE's mounting 
displeasure with IRI, on December 2, Safwat el Sherif, 
secretary-general of the National Democratic Party (NDP), 
 
SIPDIS 
issued a press statement noting that the ruling party's 
secretariat had "examined the secretary-general's report on 
 
SIPDIS 
the organization of training sessions for Egyptian party 
members by some foreign partisan organizations and agencies 
as well as extending personal invitations to members of the 
NDP.  The secretariat considered this an improper and 
rejectionable act that serves as a cover-up for interference 
in the affairs of local parties, and propaganda for foreign 
agendas with the aim of interfering and steering political 
action in the service of foreign states."  The statement 
continues, "This circumvention aims at interfering in 
domestic affairs and influencing the national sense of 
belonging.  The NDP secretariat has rejected invitations to 
party members by a foreign institute to attend a training 
session in an Arab country." (Note: The "training sessions" 
noted are an apparent reference to recent training classes of 
Egyptians that IRI has organized in Jordan and Morocco.  End 
note).  Sherif's remarks were reported by the government news 
agency, and in a variety of other press outlets. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On December 5, the sensationalist independent daily 
newspaper Al Dustour carried an article with the headline, 
"American Institute to Continue its Activity Training 
Opposition Cadres, Despite NDP Criticism."  The article, 
sourced to the unreliable and provocative "America in Arabic" 
internet wire service, states that, "an American institute 
close to the Republican party to which U.S. president George 
¶W. Bush belongs, announced that it intends to strongly 
continue its activity in Egypt despite criticisms of the 
institute by leading figures in the ruling party, due to its 
invitations to Egyptian parties and civil society activists 
in Egypt to attend courses on political work."  The article 
quotes in part from IRI's 2006 annual report, issued on 
November 29, noting that despite Sherif's complaint, "the 
USAID-funded IRI insists on 'boosting democracy in Egypt'." 
(Note: The actual language from IRI's 2006 annual report 
reads, "Despite restrictions on programmatic activity imposed 
by the Egyptian government, IRI continues to provide support 
and technical assistance to activists in non-governmental 
organizations and political parties."  End note). 
RICCIARDONE