US embassy cable - 05CAIRO7795

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 007795 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2015 
TAGS: PREL, ECON, EAID, KPAL, PTER, EG, IS 
SUBJECT: SPECIAL ENVOY FOR DISENGAGEMENT WOLFENSOHN'S 
OCTOBER 9 CAIRO VISIT 
 
 
Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
1.  (C) Quartet Special Envoy for Disengagement, James 
Wolfensohn visited Cairo October 9 and met with President 
Mubarak, Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Soliman, Defense 
Minister Tantawi, and Trade Minister Rachid.  He briefed the 
Ambassador on the way out of town.  Key points as follows: 
 
-- On the Rafah crossing, Wolfensohn said the GOE could open 
the Gaza border as early as November 15.  Sought USG help to 
press conclusion of deal as early as possible to reduce 
political tensions.  GOE "neutral" on third party presence. 
 
-- On Gaza settlement rubble, Wolfensohn found little GOE 
interest to move forward.  Egyptians are now raising 
environmental and land title issues that they had not 
previously raised.  Wolfensohn suggested that the current 
absence of PA Minister Dahlan may have dampened enthusiasm. 
Additional cost/benefit analysis may be required to 
facilitate conclusion of deal. 
 
-- Wolfensohn focused on job growth and investment for 
Gaza/WB.  GOE shares enthusiasm and will host investment 
promotion conference for Palestinian territories in November. 
 
-- Success by PA in disarming militants key to next steps in 
Gaza development.  GOE concerned that January PLC elections 
could again be postponed if disarmament does not take place. 
Egyptians working well with GOI counterparts. 
 
End summary. 
 
-------------- 
Rafah Crossing 
-------------- 
 
2.  (C) Wolfensohn told the Ambassador that EGIS Chief 
Soliman said Egypt would be prepared to re-open the Rafah 
border by November 15 at the earliest, but that mid-December 
was more likely.  Israeli officials, he noted, were focused 
on mid-December as a target date for re-opening the crossing. 
 Soliman detailed GOE expectations that people would cross at 
the Rafah Terminal, while goods would enter and depart Gaza 
via Israel's Kerem Shalom.   Emergency and humanitarian 
travel between Gaza and Egyptian Rafah would continue to be 
addressed on an ad hoc basis during the interim.  The GOE was 
reportedly "neutral" on the question of a third-party 
presence (i.e., European Union personnel) at the border 
crossing to monitor the flow of people and goods and customs 
collections.  The Egyptians emphasized to Wolfensohn the 
importance of pressing Israel to come to final agreement 
rapidly on the border crossings issue.  Similarly, Wolfensohn 
encouraged the Ambassador to press Egypt to commit to the 
earliest possible date for reopening the Rafah crossing. 
Should this crossing remain closed, he added, pressure will 
only increase on the Palestinian Authority, as militants may 
try to open the border by force, thereby putting the Egyptian 
Border Guard Force in the position of having to forcibly 
prevent Gazans from crossing into Egypt.  Israel, he said, 
understands this dilemma and wants to avoid such a scenario. 
Soliman told Wolfensohn that Egypt would strengthen the Gaza 
border and maintain order there by force, as required. 
 
--------------------------- 
Rubble:  Back to Square One 
--------------------------- 
 
3.  (C) Wolfensohn said he raised the rubble removal issue in 
separate meetings with President Mubarak and EGIS Chief 
Soliman, but found little enthusiasm for moving forward.  The 
Egyptians, he said, raised numerous "problems" (i.e., 
environmental concerns, national sovereignty, etc.) and were 
"not as explicit" on the subject as he had hoped.  Still, he 
added, the issue "is not dead" but will require additional 
cajoling and cost/benefit analysis to see what will get the 
Egyptians moving again.  He noted that PA Minister Mohamed 
Dahlan had been instrumental in early talks on this topic 
with the GOE, and that his current absence from Gaza may have 
slowed progress. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
Investment, Job Security:  Ultimate Security Guarantee 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
4.  (C) Wolfensohn focused on job creation in Gaza and the 
West Bank, calling this the "ultimate security guarantee" for 
the Palestinians and Israelis.  Noting Turkish and German 
industrial development commitments in the territories, he 
hoped Egypt may be interested in infrastructure projects in 
southern Gaza.  Egyptian Trade Minister Rachid invited 
Wolfensohn to participate in a GOE-hosted investment 
promotion conference for Palestine to be held in Cairo this 
November. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
Disarmament of Palestinian Militants Key 
---------------------------------------- 
 
5.  (C) Wolfensohn conveyed that the key to his own work is 
the successful disarmament of Palestinian militant groups, 
particularly in Gaza.  Soliman reportedly agreed, and said 
that planned January Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) 
might be delayed if the PA is unable by that time to disarm 
Hamas and other militants.  On security in general, he 
expressed his personal "surprise" at the moderation and 
solicitousness of senior Egyptian officials toward Israel. 
He told the Ambassador that the GOE's "tone" toward Israel on 
this visit had been "far more constructive" than had been the 
case several months earlier.  GOE Defense Ministry officials 
had conveyed that they were preparing for a visit to Egypt by 
Israeli Defense Minister Mofaz. 
 
 
RICCIARDONE