VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #3543 3611244
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 271244Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7798
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS CAIRO 003543 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
NSC STAFF FOR PASCUAL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PHUM PREL EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT'S NEW PRESS SYNDICATE CHAIRMAN OUTLINES 
OBJECTIVES 
 
REF: A. CAIRO 3299 
     ¶B. CAIRO 2835 
     ¶C. CAIRO 2825 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU)  We met on December 12 with Makhram Mohamed Ahmed, 
the new chairman of Egypt's influential press syndicate (ref 
A). Ahmed told us he has two immediate objectives as 
chairman; 1) to open a dialogue with the government that will 
end the prosecution of journalists, and 2) to enhance the 
professionalism of syndicate members.   He also expressed his 
high regard for the work USAID has done with the Egyptian 
press and hopes this will continue. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Four independent editors are now appealing 
convictions and one-year prison sentences for criticizing 
President Mubarak and senior government officials (ref B). 
One of the four faces additional charges for publishing 
stories regarding President Mubarak's health (ref C). Ahmed 
told us he sees dialogue with the government, rather than 
confrontation, as the solution to these cases.  He also 
criticized the government for pursuing these cases.  He  said 
the President received bad advice, and "nobody" anticipated 
the world-wide attention the cases attracted (which he 
contrasted with the favorable press other Arab countries 
(e.g. Jordan) received for repealing laws allowing the 
imprisonment of journalists).  He said this is a good time to 
begin a dialogue with the government because "the President 
was very angry (about the editors) two months ago, but his 
mood had changed." 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Ahmed sees improving the professionalism of 
Egyptian journalists as his other immediate objective.  Ahmed 
lamented that the number of newcomers to the profession had 
in recent years grown so large that there were not enough 
seasoned journalists to properly train younger journalists. 
He said that inexperienced journalists have difficulty 
distinguishing between news and rumors, and only pursue one 
side of a story.  They are often pushed by the "businessmen" 
who own news outlets to pursue sensational stories.  We asked 
about a code of responsibility or ethics for journalists, and 
Ahmed said that such a code is contained in the syndicate's 
charter, but the board has never enforced it out of fear of 
alienating members and losing votes in subsequent elections. 
¶4.  (SBU) Ahmed concluded the meeting by praising USAID,s 
work with Egyptian journalists. He said he hoped to work 
through Minister for International Cooperation Fayza Aboul 
Naga to continue the cooperation.  He also said he hoped for 
continued dialogue with the U.S. Embassy. 
Ricciardone