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RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHEG #0047/01 0131137
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
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FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7875
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000047 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV CVIS EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT: FOREIGN MINISTER ABOUL GHEIT DISCUSSES 
AFRICA, PERCEPTIONS OF THE U.S. WITH CODEL JOHNSON 
 
REF: 2006 CAIRO 3425 
 
Sensitive but unclassified, not for Internet distribution. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit 
highlighted Egypt's "energetic" Africa policy in a January 6 
meeting with the DCM and a CODEL led by Representative Eddie 
Bernice Johnson (D-TX).  Both Aboul Gheit and the CODEL 
confirmed the importance of a good U.S.-Egypt bilateral 
relationship.  Aboul Gheit described the challenges to that 
relationship as being an "agitated" U.S. policy since 9-11, 
and mentioned visa restrictions as a particular problem for 
the U.S. image in Egypt.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit opened 
his January 6 meeting with the DCM and a CODEL led by 
Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) by thanking the 
members for visiting Egypt as part of an African tour, as it 
highlights that Egypt and North Africa are an integral part 
of the African continent and not just the Arab world.  CODEL 
Johnson included Representative Johnson, Representative John 
Boozman (R-AK), Representative Corrine Brown (D-FL), 
Representative Jerry Costello (D-IL), Representative John 
Duncan (R-TN), Representative Mary Fallin (R-OK), 
Representative Tim Holden (D-PA), Representative Carolyn 
Kirlpatrick (D-MI), Representative Laura Richardson (D-CA), 
and Representative Nydia Velazquez (D-NY).  Egypt was among 
the first countries to participate in the African Union (AU) 
and funds fifteen percent of its budget, Aboul Gheit said, 
with  North African countries together funding fully fifty 
percent of the AU budget. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Aboul Gheit went on to describe Egypt's "energetic" 
African policy; Egypt operates 49 embassies and/or diplomatic 
missions in Africa, second only to the U.S. and possibly 
China.  Over the past twenty years, Egypt has sent more than 
seven thousand Egyptian dentists, professors, water resource 
experts, and others to aid African countries under Egypt's 
African Cooperation Fund, he said.  Egypt has also 
contributed to all UN and AU peace keeping efforts in Africa, 
and most notably is sending 1300 - 1400 troops for Darfur 
peace-keeping (reftel).  Aboul Gheit noted that Al Azhar 
University, the premier institution of Islamic learning which 
is based in Cairo, works in African countries with 
predominantly Muslim populations to educate African Muslims 
about Islam. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Representative Johnson confirmed that the CODEL's 
visit to Egypt affirms the importance of good relations 
between the U.S. and Egypt, and asked Aboul Gheit about the 
U.S.-Egyptian bilateral relationship and anti-Americanism in 
Egypt.  Aboul Gheit described the U.S.-Egyptian bilateral 
relationship as healthy and mutually beneficial, but said 
that the Palestinian problem "affects our population" and 
causes some Egyptians to see the U.S. in a negative light. 
"America is appreciated," he said, and as an American in 
Cairo "people will embrace you," but Egyptians are 
nevertheless angry about U.S. policies.  Aboul Gheit 
attributed this attitude to an "agitated" U.S. policy since 
9-11 and to a perception that the Bush administration has not 
been active enough on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.  He said 
that even President Bush's new initiative for resolving the 
Israeli-Palestinian problem is not enough unless "you show 
respect, equality, tenderness, and the good nature of 
America" to the world.  For instance, Aboul Gheit praised 
U.S. help to Muslims in Kosovo in the 1990s and contrasted it 
with current policies, where "you attack villages in 
Afghanistan and kill 50 children collaterally without 
apologizing - you need to be more embracing." 
 
¶5. (SBU) Aboul Gheit also seized on difficulties obtaining 
visas to travel to the U.S. as a particular problem for the 
U.S. image in Egypt.  "You are losing the younger generation" 
who previously would study at U.S. universities, but now do 
not due to visa restrictions, he said.  The CODEL 
acknowledged issues with the U.S. visa system and noted that 
even Switzerland, one of the most stable countries in the 
world, faces visa problems.  Asked if the situation has 
improved over the last several years, MFA Deputy Assistant 
Minister for American Affairs Mohamed Aboul Dahab responded 
that it has, though Egyptians still face problems 
particularly with quick-turn around issuances for emergencies. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Asked about the Voice of America (VOA) and its role 
in educating Egyptians about U.S. culture and values, Aboul 
Gheit said that with satellite television, Egyptians would 
rather get their news from an independent source, rather than 
one known to be financed by the USG.  Aboul Gheit said that 
"we know more about you than you do about us," and that this 
needs to change to further strengthen U.S.-Egyptian relations 
and U.S.-Arab relations in general. 
 
CAIRO 00000047  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶7. (U) CODEL Johnson did not clear this message. 
Ricciardone