US embassy cable - 05CAIRO2854

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002854 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KPAL, ASEC, EG, IS 
SUBJECT: ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO THE U.S. ELICITS 
QUIET REACTION, WHILE VISIT TO EGYPT BY FOREIGN MINISTER 
SHALOM ATTRACTS LOCAL ATTENTION 
 
Classified by ECPO Counselor John Desrocher for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Egyptian press and MFA contacts offered tempered 
reactions to public comments by President Bush and Israeli 
Prime Minister Sharon following their April 11 Crawford, 
Texas summit.  Worried that the President might offer Sharon 
political cover for Israeli efforts to consolidate control 
over the West Bank and Israeli settlements there, MFA 
contacts expressed relief over the President's firm stance in 
support of both sides' Roadmap commitments, including those 
by Israel on removing unauthorized outposts and preventing 
the expansion of settlements.  Egypt remains focused on 
promoting coordination between Israel and the Palestinians on 
Gaza disengagement and continues to press both sides 
privately.  Following disengagement, Egypt plans to focus its 
diplomatic efforts on extracting from Israel a specific 
timetable for direct negotiations between Israel and the 
Palestinians on final status issues such as borders and 
refugees.  With the Sharon visit to the U.S. still in 
progress, the media reaction in Egypt so far has been muted. 
 
2.  (C) On April 12, Israeli Foreign Minister Shalom visited 
Cairo for meetings with President Mubarak, Intelligence Chief 
Soliman, and Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit.  No major 
announcements or breakthroughs were made public during the 
visit, but MFA contacts note that the visit was both cordial 
and productive.  Shalom was in Cairo looking for GOE support 
for Israeli efforts to expand its diplomatic relations in the 
Arab world.  Israel is also hoping to gain Egyptian support 
for pressing the Palestinian leadership to do more to crack 
down on violence and the infrastructure of terror.  On the 
bilateral side, MFA Office Director for Palestinian Affairs 
told poloff that Shalom and Aboul Gheit, along with the 
Egyptian Minister of Petroleum, discussed and were close to 
agreement on a deal for Egypt to export natural gas to 
Israel.  Labib also confirmed that an agreement on Egypt's 
provision of 700-800 border guards to the Gaza and Israel 
border was not reached during Shalom's visit to Cairo.  The 
Egyptian and Israeli ministers did, however make progress 
during a working lunch toward setting up a bilateral working 
committee to address all aspects of the relationship, "from 
visas to commercial deals." 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Visit Embassy Cairo's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/cairo 
 
You can also access this site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. 
 
GRAY