VZCZCXYZ0008
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #3643 0472032
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 162030Z FEB 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE 0353

UNCLAS STATE 013643 
 
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPDC PREL EAID PHUM EG
SUBJECT: LETTER ON SINAI DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FROM 
SECRETARY CLINTON TO PRIME MINISTER AHMED NAZIF 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1. Please deliver the following message from Secretary 
Clinton to Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif.  There will be no 
signed original. 
 
¶2.  Begin text: 
 
Dear Mr. Prime Minister: 
 
Over the course of the last year, the United States and 
Egypt have worked together to strengthen our bilateral 
relationship and identify opportunities to cooperate on 
important issues that both of our countries face.  It is 
in this spirit of cooperation that I draw your attention 
to an issue I wrote to you about last February:  U.S. 
funding for development programs in the northern Sinai. 
 
As you are aware, the U.S. Congress appropriated 
$50 million in FY 2009 supplemental funds to tackle the 
serious problem of deep-seated poverty in the northern 
Sinai in order to provide an economic alternative to 
smuggling for residents in the region.  Despite ongoing 
communication between our governments over the past year 
on this issue, however, we have not yet reached 
agreement on a portfolio of programs to support, let 
alone begun implementation of this important initiative. 
Given the role this effort plays in our joint strategy 
to combat smuggling across Egypt's border with Gaza, 
reaching an agreement on such programs and implementing 
them without delay is crucial. 
 
In approaching this initiative, the United States has 
consistently respected Egyptian sensitivities related to 
the Sinai and has proposed mechanisms for implementing 
this initative that would give the Egyptian government 
responsibility for carrying out projects on the ground. 
To ensure appropriate oversight of U.S. funding, 
however, it is incumbent upon the U.S. government to 
ensure that proper accountability mechanisms are in 
place. 
 
I understand that Ambassador Scobey met with Minister of 
International Cooperation Aboulnaga on February 3 to 
expedite this process.  I hope that their discussion 
leads to prompt implementation of this program. 
 
The United States looks forward to working with Egypt to 
ensure the success of this important initiative.  This 
effort is also of significant interest to members of the 
U.S. Congress who want to see and support a strong 
partnership between the United States and Egypt. 
 
I look forward to our countries' ongoing cooperation and 
to working with you to make progress on these 
development programs. 
 
Sincerely yours, 
Hillary Rodham Clinton 
 
END TEXT. 
CLINTON