US embassy cable - 05CAIRO7900

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 007900 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA, NEA/ELA, NEA/I 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, IZ, EG, Iraqi 
SUBJECT: EGYPT, ARAB LEAGUE REACT TO IRAQ CONSTITUTION 
COMPROMISE 
 
REF: STATE 188987 
 
Classified by DCM Stuart E. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) The Ambassador made reftel points to Egyptian Foreign 
Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit during a meeting October 13. 
Aboul Gheit argued that the constitution as drafted will 
inevitably lead to divisions among Iraq's Sunni, Shi'a, and 
Kurds.  He expressed hope that there will be more work done 
to improve the document.  The Ambassador stressed that the 
compromise that led the Sunni leadership to endorse the 
constitution allowed for precisely that.  As a result, it was 
in Egypt's interest to encourage Iraqis to support the 
constitutional process.  Aboul Gheit acknowledged the point 
but did not suggest he would take steps to encourage Iraq's 
Sunnis to support the document. 
 
2.  (C) Hesham Youssef, Chief of Arab League SYG Amre 
Moussa's cabinet, told ECPO Counselor that Moussa could claim 
some credit for the compromise, citing a discussion Moussa 
had earlier this week with IIP leader Tareq el Hashimi. 
Youssef could not commit his boss to any particular 
statement, but suggested that Moussa would speak positively 
on the subject when addressing the press later on October 13. 
 
 
RICCIARDONE