US embassy cable - 05CAIRO6915

UNCLAS CAIRO 006915 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EG 
SUBJECT: PROPOSED STATEMENT ON EGYPTIAN PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTIONS 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
(SBU) Below is post's proposed text of a statement on Egypt's 
September 7 presidential elections.  Post suggests it be 
released at 4:00 p.m. Washington time, after polls in Egypt 
have closed. 
 
Begin text: 
 
The United States congratulates the Egyptian people on the 
holding of the first-ever multi-party presidential elections 
in Egypt.  This is a significant milestone in Egypt's 
movement to full democracy.  The opposition had unprecedented 
access to the media and the right of assembly through public 
demonstrations that were largely free of violence.  (Voting 
also occurred without widespread violence or intimidation.**) 
 We believe that the presence of international observers and 
access for domestic monitors to the polling stations would 
only have strengthened this important step. 
 
Egyptian voters will return to the polls later this year to 
elect a new parliament.  We hope Egypt will build on today's 
success and conduct elections that meet the objective 
standards that define every free election. 
 
End text. 
 
**To be used if there are no reports of violence on election 
day. 
 
 
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. 
 
RICCIARDONE