US embassy cable - 05CAIRO4119

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 004119 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR PM/WRA/STEPHANIE PICO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2015 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, EG, Arms Control 
SUBJECT: EGYPT SHARES USG GOALS ON LA/SW MARKING AND 
TRACING NEGOTIATIONS 
 
REF: STATE 99866 
 
Classified by Economic-Political Counselor John Desrocher for 
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C)  Drawing from reftel points in a June 1 meeting with 
Adel Ibrahim, Director of the MFA Office of Arms Control and 
Disarmament, Poloff reiterated USG redlines regarding the 
marking and tracing of ammunition and our inability to agree 
to a legally binding document at the Open Ended Working Group 
(OEWG).  Ibrahim said he was very familiar with U.S. 
positions on SA/LW negotiations, which he said matched 
Egypt's goals.  He said the GOE had pointed out the "legally 
binding language" in a draft document as unacceptable when 
Ambassador Thalmann visited Cairo.  The GOE had included the 
Ministries of Defense and Interior in meetings with Thalmann 
to reinforce the fact that Egypt's positions were well 
coordinated and would not change. 
 
2.  (C)  Ibrahim said the GOE would be firm in negotiating at 
the OEWG meetings at the UN later this month.  He hoped the 
U.S. would also make a "high profile" effort to ensure that 
our mutual goals were met; he asked specifically that the USG 
join in the negotiations aggressively and not "leave Egypt 
isolated."  He also commented that a number of other 
countries shared similar views, pointing to "producer" 
nations in particular.  As for the end game, Ibrahim said he 
thought a consensus could be reached if U.S. positions were 
clearly articulated and forcefully argued. 
 
 
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GRAY