US embassy cable - 05CAIRO3176

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 003176 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, MASS, EG, Visits 
SUBJECT: PREPARING FOR GENERAL ABIZAID'S VISIT TO EGYPT 
 
Classified by Charge Michael Corbin for reasons 1.4 (b) and 
(d). 
 
1.  (C)  General Abizaid, Embassy Cairo warmly welcomes your 
return visit to Egypt.  U.S.-Egyptian military relations have 
benefited from our strategic reliance on one another for over 
25 years.  We look forward to your visit as yet another 
opportunity to reconfirm our common commitment to stability 
in the Middle East and to discuss frankly how we feel Egypt 
can contribute even more to positive political development in 
the region. 
 
2.  (C)  We recommend that you touch upon the following 
topics in your meetings with Chief of Staff Weheba and Field 
Marshal Tantawi.  We look forward to discussing these topics 
with you prior to your meetings. 
 
-- BRIGHT STAR planning is proceeding well, as confirmed by 
Lt Gen Smith and LTG Whitcomb when they participated in a 
National Force Commanders' Conference in Egypt April 11-13. 
Egypt has been understanding of the need to streamline the 
exercise.  You might commend the MoD for inviting Iraq and 
Afghanistan to send observers and reiterate the need to make 
BRIGHT STAR increasingly relevant to today's training needs 
-- such as fighting the global war on terror. 
 
-- Iraqi military training in Egypt has stalled after one 
session in late 2004.  Training costs appear to be a major 
factor in Iraq's hesitance to take Egypt up on its offer to 
train 500 to 700 Iraqi soldiers every six weeks.  You might 
reiterate the need for the MoD to maintain direct ties with 
its Iraqi counterpart and to directly market this training 
offer to Iraq.  You might also ask the MoD about any dialogue 
it may have with NATO concerning cooperation on Iraqi 
training programs. 
 
-- Egypt's donation of more arms and ammunition to the Afghan 
National Army now comes with an offer to participate in the 
airlift effort (Egypt wants to provide two C-130 flights out 
of the dozen required).  You might thank the MoD for this 
generous offer and assure them that their sorties into 
Afghanistan will receive proper coordination and due 
publicity. 
 
-- Egypt's field hospital in Afghanistan has been a success, 
treating over 100,000 patients and helping Egypt make a key 
contribution to the coalition.  It is funded through 
November.  The MoD may inquire about the availability of 
continued funding; Egypt would likely not continue the 
deployment if required to expend national funds. 
 
-- Suez Canal transits and overflights have tapered off, yet 
remain vital to U.S. force mobility.  You might reiterate the 
appreciation expressed by TRANSCOM Commander Handy during his 
March 1 visit to the MoD. 
 
-- The Gaza border remains a sensitive subject between Israel 
and Egypt, largely due to differing assessments of the threat 
posed by cross-border tunnels and other weapons smuggling in 
the area.  Egypt and Israel continue to negotiate the 
deployment of 750 military border guards in this sensitive 
zone; you might ask your MoD interlocutors how close they 
feel they are to an agreement with Israel and how soon they 
envision an actual deployment. 
 
-- Our Article 98 agreement with Egypt was renewed in early 
March, 2005.  You might thank the MoD for its important (if 
limited) role in that decision. 
 
-- Peacekeeping support in the Sudan will become more 
critical as peace agreements are implemented.  Egypt is 
poised to help; it should show leadership in the development 
of PKO efforts in its neighborhood. 
 
-- Egypt's military modernization plans continue to be rather 
vague.  You might remind the MoD of the mutual benefits of 
longer-range planning in terms of doctrine, materiel, 
organization, personnel, training, leadership, and 
facilities.  You might also stress that a clearer vision 
would bolster U.S. Congressional support for a strengthened 
Egyptian defense posture. 
 
-- Representative Lantos may again submit an amendment in the 
U.S. Congress to cut military aid to Egypt; Representative 
Weiner recently submitted a similar bill (HR 1670).  The MoD 
will request your help, as it has done before, in countering 
these initiatives.  You might note the value we place on 
Egypt as a partner and offer your support, yet call on Egypt 
to play a more visible role in pursuing our common goals in 
the region -- Iraq and Afghanistan being two of the more 
visible places for such a role. 
 
 
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. 
 
CORBIN