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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 001272 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO NEA A/S CWELCH AND NEA/ARP 
ASTEINFELD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2018 
TAGS: EG EU IR IS IZ MU PGOV PREL SA UNC UNGA
SUBJECT: READOUT OF ABDULLAH-MUBARAK MEETING BY EGYPTIAN 
DCM IN RIYADH 
 
REF: RIYADH 1245 
 
Classified By: Charge' d'Affaires Michael Gfoeller 
for reasons 1.4 (b), (c) and (d) 
 
¶1. (S) SUMMARY.  Riyadh Egyptian DCM Hussam Essa provided a 
readout of the Saudi King Abdullah-Egyptian President Mubarak 
meeting held in Cairo on Aug. 15.  Essa again relayed the 
message that Egypt asks to have side discussions on Iran 
during the next 6   2   1 meetings, as well being kept 
informed and consulted of any P5   1 discussions vis-a-vis 
Iran.  The main topics at the Cairo summit were: threats of 
Iranian expansionism; deteriorating situation in Gaza; 
fragility of the Lebanese government; and likely improved 
relations with Iraq, but no naming yet of an Ambassador.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (S) In a follow up meeting on August 18 with Riyadh 
Egyptian DCM Hussam Essa, Essa provided to Pol Counselor a 
readout of the Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz-Egyptian 
President Hosni Mubarak summit held in Cairo on Aug. 15 
(Reftel).  The main topics followed what had been previously 
provided to us: threats of Iranian expansionism; 
deteriorating situation in Gaza; fragility of the Lebanese 
government; and likely improved relations with Iraq through 
some political exchanges.  Essa did not/not have any 
information regarding Omani Sultan Qaboos' participation in 
the Cairo summit nor on the reported Omani invitation to Iran 
to have observer status in Peninsula Shield. 
 
¶3.  (S) Essa again asked Pol Counselor for a readout on the 
July meeting between President Bush and Saudi Foreign 
Minister Saud al-Faisal in Washington.  He also asked about 
any upcoming high-level USG visits to Saudi Arabia, as well 
as the status of the several bilateral agreements that were 
signed by the USG and SAG during the May POTUS visit.  Pol 
Counselor remained noncommittal in response. 
 
 
IRAN 
---- 
 
¶4. (S) Essa confirmed that the threats posed by Iranian 
expansionism and its quest for nuclear technology was at the 
forefront of the these two leaders' discussions.  He also 
repeated the Government of Egypt's (GOE) request that Iran 
become a topic for the 6   2   1 discussions along with Iraq, 
and for Egypt to be kept informed of any P5   1 meeting 
results.  Although he acknowledged that given the USG's and 
EU's reaction to Russia's invasion of Georgia, the P5   1 
will probably not be fruitful as Russia will likely be 
automatically recalcitrant to any USG or European proposal on 
any subject, including Iran.  Still, Essa emphasized that 
"Iran must be shown that we (including Egypt) are opposed to 
their policies." 
 
PALESTINIANS/GAZA 
----------------- 
 
¶5. (S) Essa bemoaned the "chaotic" Palestinian situation and 
their poor financial status, conveying the GOE's alarm over 
Gaza.  He stated it was Hamas's intransigence and violently 
destabilizing activities that were the sole cause of Gaza's 
problems, not the Israelis.  Pres. Mubarak was assured by 
King Abdullah that the Saudis would continue to support Abu 
Mazen and Fatah, including donating additional assistance 
funds.  During the discussion, Essa referred to Hamas "as an 
enemy to the Palestinian people."  He also mentioned that 
 
RIYADH 00001272  002 OF 002 
 
 
"Hamas is crazy" in reference to Hamas's criticism of Israel 
after the Israelis had agreed to release 200 Palestinian 
prisoners. 
 
¶6. (S) Essa mentioned that Pres. Mubarak commended King 
Abdullah for all the financial aid the SAG had provided to 
the Palestinians, exceeding Saudi Arabia's pledged donations. 
 Additionally, he noted that the GOE was demarching all the 
other Arab governments for them to meet their own financial 
pledges to the Palestinians, lamenting that most were well 
behind in meeting their obligations. 
 
 
LEBANON 
------- 
 
¶7. (S)  Turning to Lebanon, Essa advised that both King 
Abdullah and Pres. Mubarak remain highly concerned about the 
instability there.  He added that Egypt will continue to 
fully support the Lebanese government as they considered it 
staying in power was the only way to counter "Iranian-backed 
Hizbollah" and to prevent another civil war there. 
 
IRAQ 
---- 
 
¶8. (S) Essa conveyed the summit's consensus that conditions 
in Iraq had greatly improved.  Part of this success was 
attributed to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki "finally 
fighting the Shia militia."  This was viewed as a positive 
sign for the Government of Iraq.  Essa continued this would 
lead to "good gestures" towards Iraq by Saudi Arabia.  To 
which he explained this meant exchanges of senior level 
delegations, and perhaps eventually donation of assistance 
funds to Iraq.  However, appointment of either a Saudi or 
Egyptian Ambassador was unlikely in the near term due to 
security concerns.  He noted that "political reasons with 
Maliki" were now no longer a cause to delay Ambassadorial 
appointments, which he ascribed to both Egypt's and Saudi 
Arabia's improved opinion of Iraq.  He opined once security 
was more firmly established, Ambassadors would eventually be 
named. 
 
 
¶9. (S) COMMENT.  The Egyptian DCM's readout matched what he 
had told us before for the expected Abdullah-Mubarak summit 
agenda.  He repeated the combined Saudi-Egyptian concern over 
Iran's activities, adding he truly hoped Egypt would be 
included in any future multilateral discussions over Iran. 
Essa also re-affirmed both governments' commitments to 
Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, ascribing the 
"culprits" to these problems being Hizbollah and Hamas, 
respectively.  The Saudi-Egyptian consensus on improvements 
in Iraq is a positive sign that they will begin offering more 
support to Iraq, even if the naming of an Ambassador is not 
in the near future.  END COMMENT. 
GFOELLER