US embassy cable - 05CAIRO4780

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 004780 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, PHUM, KUNR, AORC, EAID, EG, UNSC, UNGA 
SUBJECT: EGYPT:  UN PRIORITIES UNDERSTOOD, BUT MECHANISMS 
UNCERTAIN 
 
REF: A. STATE 114906 
 
     B. STATE 114051 
     C. STATE 113168 
     D. STATE 111657 
     E. STATE 111637 
     F. CAIRO 4518 
 
Classified by Acting DCM Michael Corbin for reasons 1.4 (b) 
and (d). 
 
1.  (C)  Summary:  The Acting DCM conveyed ref D points on 
USG priorities for UN reform at the MFA Assistant Minister 
level, in the absence of the Foreign Minister, on June 23. 
Assistant Minister Fathalla and his staff were familiar with 
many of the points raised, yet pressed to know what 
mechanisms the USG envisioned for negotiating a final outcome 
document for the UN High Level Event (HLE) in September. 
Fathalla was also interested in USG views regarding the 
timing of decisions on UNSC reform.  PolOff had earlier gone 
over the points from refs A, B, and E with the MFA Director 
of UN Affairs (septel).  Ref C points have also been shared 
with key contacts and posted on the Embassy's web page.  End 
summary. 
 
2.  (C)  In the absence of the Foreign Minister (attending 
the Iraq conference in Brussels), the Acting DCM conveyed ref 
D points to Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affairs Ahmed 
Fathalla on June 23, emphasizing strong U.S. interest in 
enhancing the UN's ability to focus on key objectives. 
Fathalla, joined by the heads of the MFA offices dealing with 
the UN, human rights, nonproliferation, and economic 
development, was familiar with the essence of many of the 
U.S. points.  He had reviewed public statements by Ambassador 
Patterson and Under Secretary Burns detailing U.S. goals. 
Fathalla also said the GOE had received on June 3 the first 
draft of the UNGA President's "outcome document" for the 
September HLE and cited those "18 pages" as the likely focus 
of discussions leading up to the HLE.  He inquired about USG 
views on the mechanism for coordinating that document further. 
 
3.  (C)  The Acting DCM reviewed ref D points in detail, 
stressing the importance of keeping the focus on outcomes 
that would enhance the UN's ability to deal with real issues 
facing the international community.  He told Fathalla that 
Embassy staff would remain in contact with the MFA on the 
full range of UN priorities stated in reftels.  Fathalla said 
the GOE shared the USG priorities noted in the demarche; 
"these are also our priorities," and "the priorities of the 
international community." 
 
4.  (C)  The issue before us was "how to deal with these 
priorities," according to Fathalla.  On terrorism, for 
example, he cited a decade of effort to combat a mutually 
recognized problem.  "We know your perspectives and you know 
ours," he stressed, and an HLE that did not "give clear 
guidance to the UNGA" would simply extend an inconclusive 
conversation we have been having for some time.  The problem 
of definitions of terror, including state terror, were an 
issue that Fathalla said must be addressed.  (UN affairs 
chief Hany Salem had emphasized the same point at length with 
PolOff.)  On terrorism, said Fathalla, "we understand each 
other" and what is needed is to better coordinate an approach 
to deal with the issue.  An HLE outcome that did not offer 
guidance for "tackling issues" would have limited impact, he 
asserted. 
 
5.  (C)  Similarly, on the concept of a Human Rights Council, 
Fathalla said "you have your ideas and so do we."  He was 
less interested in debating the various positions, which are 
mutually known, and more focused on "how we want to deal 
with" the process of moving ahead.  He said that proceeding 
to more formal discussions on a final outcome document 
without such "clarity" would simply extend the dialogue 
without leading to a solution.  He said the UNGA president 
had already put the ball in play; we must now determine 
whether we sought a brief declaration of principles or a 
"more complete" document.  He sought a better sense of the 
nature of the document we had in mind, and noted the 
importance of considering the possibility of arriving at 
consensus, before hastening into a drafting exercise. 
 
6.  (C)  Fathalla said Egypt was interested in working 
bilaterally with the U.S. to discuss means to move forward on 
UN reform issues.  He hoped such cooperation could be 
initiated soon. 
 
7.  (C)  Finally, expressing a clear priority for Egypt, 
Fathalla asked if the U.S. wanted to delay all discussion of 
expanding UNSC membership until September.  For most UN 
members, UNSC membership was "a hot issue now," he stated, 
and would have to be addressed if reform were to be "whole" 
in its scope. 
 
8.  (U)  Post will report other meetings on UN reform septel. 
 
 
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GRAY