VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #1388 1841248
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021248Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9736

UNCLAS CAIRO 001388 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL EG ER
SUBJECT: EGYPT: STILL INCOMPLETE UNHCR ACCESS TO ERITREANS 
 
REF: A. CAIRO 1322 
     ¶B. SECSTATE 68478 
 
Sensitive but unclassified, not for Internet distribution. 
 
¶1. (SBU) On July 1, the Ambassador told Deputy Foreign 
Minister Wafaa Bassim that the USG is concerned that the GOE 
was still not providing the UNHCR complete access to Eritrean 
asylum seekers in Egyptian custody.  UNHCR Deputy Regional 
Representative for Protection Katharina Lumpp had confirmed 
on June 29 that UNHCR was completing processing of 
approximately 200 Eritrean asylum seekers being held near 
Aswan, but that the GOE was still refusing UNHCR access to 
prisons elsewhere in Egypt where UNHCR had credible 
information that Eritreans were currently being, or had 
previously been, detained (ref A). 
 
¶2. (SBU) Bassim denied that Egypt is holding Eritreans or 
other migrants or refugees in locations other than Aswan. 
When asked if it was true that the UNHCR had requested access 
to Eritrean asylum seekers since February 2008, Basim 
responded that she did not know, but that UNHCR in Cairo is 
"difficult to deal with."  The GOE prefers to work with the 
UNHCR's Geneva headquarters, she said. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador noted USG willingness to consider 
resettlement cases referred by the UNHCR.  Bassim said that 
the GOE appreciated this, but offered her view that African 
migrants in Egypt in fact seek to ultimately reach the U.S. 
or other developed countries.  A resettlement policy, she 
explained, would potentially reward illegal entry into Egypt. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Note and comment: Per refs, Foreign Minister Aboul 
Gheit and other MFA contacts previously requested that the 
U.S. and international community "do more" to resettle 
African refugees from Egypt.  We will follow up to determine 
the official GOE position on resettlement for this refugee 
population. 
SCOBEY