VZCZCXRO1149
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #1627 1511213
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311213Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5447
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS CAIRO 001627
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC KPKO EG SU
SUBJECT: EGYPT, ARAB LEAGUE PUBLICLY OPPOSE SUDAN
SANCTIONS; MORE EGYPTIAN OBSERVERS TO DARFUR
REF: A. STATE 73693
B. CAIRO 1543
C. KHARTOUM 837
Sensitive but unclassified, please protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) Responding to ref A demarche, MFA Cabinet Advisor
Ahmed Abu Zeid referenced Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul
Gheit's May 30 statement criticizing increased U.S. bilateral
economic sanctions on Sudan. Aboul Gheit criticized
escalating sanctions on Sudan "at a time when the political
process in Darfur is witnessing a positive momentum," and
said that such sanctions have historically proven "their
ineffectiveness in realizing their objective." Aboul Gheit
repeated the GOE stance that we must "build confidence"
between the international community and the GOS, and between
the GOS and the non-signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement
(DPA). Aboul Gheit also highlighted Egypt's focus on
political reconciliation in Darfur, and said that the GOS, UN
and AU should work out the "technical" details of
implementing the peacekeeping mission without
"politicization." (Ref B contains similar points that Abu
Zeid told poloff May 24.)
2. (U) Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa also
released a May 30 statement criticizing the sanctions, saying
that "it is not the time for sanctions, but for intensifying
efforts to reach understandings." Moussa said that
"sanctions will lead to more tension," and that historically
sanctions have "led to the worst harms and escalated
problems."
2. (SBU) On May 27, Egypt sent 78 more military observers to
Darfur to join the African Union peacekeepers currently
there. Abu Zeid told poloff that these observers were an
already agreed upon component of the light support package,
and their deployment was not affected by the May 25 killing
of an Egyptian UN military observer in Darfur (ref C).
RICCIARDONE