US embassy cable - 05CAIRO6992

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 006992 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC STAFF FOR POUNDS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, EG 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR AND U.S. PARTY INSTITUTES ASSESS 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND DEVELOP DEMOCRATIC ACTION AGENDA 
 
 
Classified by Ambassador Francis Ricciardone for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) In a September 8 lunch hosted by the Ambassador, 
leaders of the assessment teams deployed by the National 
Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican 
Institute (IRI) gave a soberly optimistic assessment of the 
September 7 presidential election and discussed next steps. 
Together, the party institute representatives, emboffs, and 
the Ambassador elaborated an action agenda to work on in the 
run up to the parliamentary elections and beyond.  End 
summary. 
 
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A Flawed Process... 
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2. (C) Both party institute teams were in agreement that the 
September 7 process had been seriously flawed - with the 
ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) and its cadres 
omnipresent in every polling station.  NDP cadres, rather 
than electoral officials and judicial supervisors, often 
appeared to be the ones in control of polling stations. 
Reflecting a low level of political/democratic awareness, 
many of the NDP activists openly discussed their violations 
with monitors.  An NDI observer noted: "These people were 
very proud and happy to show us how efficient they were at 
delivering voters to the polls, and making sure they voted 
for Mubarak." 
 
3. (C) Other serious problems outlined by IRI and NDI 
included the failure of election officials to make voter 
lists, and even information on designated polling sites, 
available equally to all competing parties.  The NDP was well 
informed far in advance, they noted, while other parties 
didn't receive copies of the voter lists, or polling sites, 
until after the balloting started.  The Presidential Election 
Commission (PEC), which regulated the process, "was the most 
powerful, isolated, and untouchable" electoral body any of 
the IRI team members, with combined experience observing 40 
elections, had ever seen, the IRI team leader noted. 
 
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...But Clear Signs of Improvement 
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4. (C) In spite of the many flaws and difficulties, lunch 
guests told the Ambassador they found a number of encouraging 
signs from the September 7 experience indicating important 
steps toward democratic transition in Egypt.  "The GOE 
deserves some credit," opined a member of the NDI team, 
acknowledging that the principle of multi-candidate elections 
now seemed firmly established, and that a significant 
increase in quantity and quality of public debate in Egypt 
was undeniable. 
 
5. (C) Other guests noted that the conduct of the security 
forces during the election had been much better than they, 
and many of their Egyptian counterparts, had anticipated. 
Incidents between police and domestic monitors had been 
relatively isolated, and even in some of those cases, 
remedial action had been taken.  While monitors' access to 
polling stations, following the PEC's very belated decision 
to allow them in, remained limited, the GOE had shown much 
more tolerance and acceptance of both the domestic monitors 
and the foreign assessment missions than either had expected, 
establishing an important precedent for future polls. 
Overall relations between NDI and the GOE were also faring 
better than had been expected, the NDI team leader told the 
Ambassador.  Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit received him and an 
NDI team for a friendly meeting on September 7 and affirmed 
to him that, as far as the GOE was concerned, NDI was welcome 
in Egypt, though he urged the group to register with the 
Ministry of Social Affairs as an international NGO - a 
process NDI has already begun. 
 
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Looking Ahead 
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6. (C) The Ambassador, his guests, and emboffs agreed that 
although the September 7 vote left much room for improvement, 
there was no question that the election reflected tangible 
progress over previous elections and that there were many 
ways in which the USG and the party institutes could work 
together to help Egypt's democratic transition move forward. 
The first opportunity, they agreed, will be in Egypt's 
legislative elections, which will be held in three rounds in 
November and possibly December (dates to be announced).  All 
agreed the GOE should take now a number of steps to improve 
the electoral process, which would constitute a joint action 
agenda for the USG and partners in the next six weeks and 
beyond.  Steps the GOE should take include: 
-- Inviting international monitors to observe the process; 
 
-- Establishing an election commission more transparent and 
accountable than the PEC; 
 
-- Providing opposition parties with timely access to voter 
registration rolls and locations of polling stations; 
 
-- Moving those polling places still located in police 
stations to neutral sites such as schools or public health 
units; 
 
-- Tight regulation inside the polling stations to ensure a 
non-partisan atmosphere; 
 
-- Offering training (with international support) to judges 
serving as polling station supervisors; 
 
-- Replacing existing ballot boxes with transparent ones; 
 
-- Affirming the right (in a clear and timely fashion) of 
domestic monitors to participate fully in the process; and 
 
-- Reopening the registration process to enfranchise more 
citizens. 
 
 
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Comment 
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7. (U) As the luncheon broke up, members of both party 
institute teams expressed to the Ambassador their gratitude 
for the strong support and cooperation the Embassy and the 
Cairo USAID mission have provided in the past year. 
 
 
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