US embassy cable - 05CAIRO6945

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 006945 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA OPS CENTER 
SES-O PLEASE PASS TO THE HURRICANE KATRINA TASK FORCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, AEMR, MARR, CASC 
SUBJECT:  HURRICANE KATRINA, RECOGNIZING EGYPTIAN 
ASSISTANCE 
 
REF:  STATE 164132 
 
1. Summary: The GOE has sent two C-130 aircraft with 
relief supplies for Katrina victims. Senior Embassy 
officials have made televised statements and issued a 
press release to express U.S. gratitude. End summary. 
 
2.  The Government of Egypt has agreed to donate the 
following items to American victims of Hurricane 
Katrina: 
 
- 20,000 blankets 
- 8 tons of water 
- 3 tons (approximately) of medical supplies 
- 10,000 sets underwear 
- up to 20 tons of macaroni 
- unspecified amount jam (fruit preserves) 
 
3.  Yesterday, Tuesday, September 6, two Egyptian Air 
Force C-130 aircraft left Cairo with the first 
shipment, headed for the United States.  The U.S. 
military is also lending the use of its aircraft to 
this effort.  To commemorate the donation of this aid, 
Major General Byron S. Bagby, Chief of the Office of 
Military Cooperation at the American Embassy in Cairo, 
participated in a televised ceremony at the Cairo-east 
military airport, in which he thanked the Egyptians 
for their donation.  In addition, the Public Affairs 
Section of the American Embassy in Cairo issued a 
press release conveying the thanks of Ambassador 
Ricciardone, on behalf of President Bush and the 
American people, for this humanitarian gesture.  The 
texts of Major General Bagley and the Ambassador's 
remarks follow below in this message.  Both sets of 
remarks have been posted on the Embassy's web page and 
the attention of all of the media outlets in Cairo 
have been drawn to them. 
 
4. Text of American Embassy Cairo, Press Release, 
September 6, 2005 
 
The United States Expresses Gratitude to Government of 
Egypt for Aid to the Victims of Hurricane Katrina 
 
On behalf of President Bush and the American people, 
Ambassador Ricciardone expresses his gratitude to the 
Government of Egypt for its assistance to the victims 
of Hurricane Katrina, which is being provided under 
the auspices of the Ministry of Defense.  Ambassador 
Ricciardone wishes to affirm the United States' deep 
appreciation for the kindness and compassion that 
Egypt has shown in response to the devastation and 
dislocation of people in the southeastern United 
States.  This donation is, moreover, a tangible 
demonstration of the close friendship between our two 
countries that will long be remembered. Today, the 
first of these deliveries will leave Cairo on two 
Egyptian Air Force C-130 transport planes, carrying 
blankets, water, medical supplies, food, and clothes. 
Today, Chief of the Office of Military Cooperation at 
the American Embassy, Major General Byron S. Bagby, 
will also personally deliver words of thanks to Major 
General Fouad Abdul Halim, Advisor to the Minister of 
Defense, at a small ceremony at the Cairo-East 
military airport, the site of the airlift efforts. 
 
5. Remarks of Major General Byron S. Bagby, Chief of 
the Office of Military Cooperation, American Embassy 
Cairo, Cairo East Airport, Cairo, Egypt, September 6, 
2005 
 
Good Afternoon, I am Major General Byron Bagby. I am 
the Chief of the Office of Military Cooperation here 
in Egypt. On behalf of Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, 
I want to express my most sincere appreciation for the 
generous donation of relief supplies that the Ministry 
of Defense is donating to the United States. 
Ambassador Ricciardone will express his thanks to the 
Field Marshall in a couple of days in person and will 
also send a letter to him this afternoon. 
 
The Egyptian Ministry of Defense noticed that 
Americans were suffering as a result of the 
devastation from Hurricane Katrina. They immediately 
stepped forward to offer donations that will help us 
with the relief effort. Some of the items that they 
are donating are twenty thousand blankets, eight tons 
of water, about three tons of medical supplies, plus 
some food and clothing items. In addition to making a 
donation as large as they are making, Egypt is also 
providing two of their Egyptian Air Force aircraft to 
make the first two donation flights to the United 
States. They will depart this afternoon. Other United 
States aircraft will follow later in the week with the 
remainder of the supplies. 
 
I believe that this donation illustrates just how 
strong the bond is between the United States and the 
Arab Republic of Egypt. They're always there to help 
other people. It's not just this donation that they 
are making; but they've also made humanitarian 
donations to Sudan, to Afghanistan, as well as having 
a field hospital in Afghanistan that provides support 
and is a part of the combined task force that supports 
Operation Enduring Freedom. On behalf of Ambassador 
Riccardone, the Ambassador of the United States, I 
again express my sincere appreciation to the Egyptian 
Ministry of Defense for their generous donation that 
demonstrates exactly how strong the bond is between 
our two nations. 
 
RICCIARDONE