US embassy cable - 05CAIRO4023

UNCLAS CAIRO 004023 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, SCUL, KOLY, EG, KBIO 
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON HIS PERSONAL SUPPORT 
FOR NEW YORK'S OLYMPIC BID 
 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
(SBU) During a May 25 meeting with the Charge, Foreign 
Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit shared his views on New York 
City's chances for winning the International Olympic 
Committee's (IOC) vote to become the host-city for the 2012 
Olympic Games.  Aboul Gheit said he had recently sent 
Egyptian Olympic Committee Chairman General Thabet a personal 
letter expressing his strong support for New York's bid.  He 
felt New York City ("my city," he said emphatically)  would 
unfortunately lose out to Paris for three reasons:  first, 
U.S. travel restrictions on foreigners were simply too 
difficult and scrutinizing;  second, Aboul Gheit felt that 
IOC members would want to "tweak" the U.S. by voting against 
its bid on political grounds;  and third, Paris already had 
all the facilities in place.  Citing numerous stories of 
friendliness and generosity of New Yorkers and Americans that 
he had encountered personally while living in New York, Aboul 
Gheit hoped his prediction on the outcome of the IOC vote was 
incorrect.  (Note:  Aboul Gheit served as Egypt's United 
Nations permrep from 1999-2004.  End note.) 
 
 
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