US embassy cable - 05CAIRO6414

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006414 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EG 
SUBJECT: VISIT OF NEA ASSISTANT SECRETARY WELCH:  DEFENSE 
MINISTER CONFIRMS PLANS TO VISIT U.S. 
 
 
Classified by Charge Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) During an August 18 telephone conversation with 
visiting NEA Assistant Secretary Welch, Egyptian Minister of 
Defense Tantawi confirmed that he planned to accept an 
invitation from the U.S. Secretary of Defense to visit 
Washington.  Tantawi said that he intended to travel after 
the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.  Welch mentioned that he 
had recently been in contact with Congressional leaders on 
the subject of Egypt, and counseled Tantawi to be 
particularly attentive to Congressional concerns over, and 
interest in, political developments in Egypt. 
 
2.  (C) On the subject of Egypt's coming Presidential 
elections, Welch said that he was in Cairo to discuss a 
variety of topics with Egyptian officials, including the 
progress on Egypt's evolving experiment with democracy.  He 
was not in Egypt, Welch joked, to interfere in Egypt's 
political process.  (Note:  It is useful for Tantawi - one of 
Egypt's stalwart old guards - to continue hearing that 
Washington does not intend to meddle in the details of 
Egypt's electoral process, but will be watching closely and 
insisting on fairness, openness, and transparency.) 
 
3.  (U) This message was cleared by A/S Welch. 
 
 
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. 
 
JONES