70706 7/9/2006 4:00 06CAIRO4200 Embassy Cairo CONFIDENTIAL "VZCZCXYZ0017
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHEG #4200/01 1900400
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 090400Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9737
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC IMMEDIATE" "C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 004200

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DOJ PASS TO BRUCE SWARTZ

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2016
TAGS: PGOV, KJUS, EG
SUBJECT: AG GONZALES MEETING WITH PRESIDENT MUBARAK

Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Jones for
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).

1. © In a July 1 meeting in his office, a cordial and
receptive Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak discussed the
ongoing Gaza crisis with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
Mubarak described Hamas leadership as ""untrustworthy,"" and
stressed that if the situation continues to escalate, it will
become ""irreversible"". He noted his personal efforts to work
with both the Israelis and Palestinians to develop a workable
solution resulting in the release of Israeli Army Cpl. Gilad
Shalit, and to convince the Palestinians that Israel would
not accept ""conditions."" He also mocked Hamas' insistence on
""international guarantees."" He noted that in one of his two
telephone conversations with Olmert (since the Gaza crisis
erupted June 25) that Olmert had already told Abu Mazen in
Jordan a few days earlier the he would release some prisoners
when they would next meet, but there was no way that Olmert
would agree to name particular prisoners in advance or to
specify a number.

2. © Mubarak said he warned Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad explicitly that he would pay a heavy price if he
continued to allow Khalid Mishaal to stay in Syria. He noted
wryly that even as he was speaking with Assad, Israeli jets
were buzzing Damascus -- ""Assad must have thought that I had
arranged this with the Israelis, and this scared him."" He
also recapped the exchange a few days earlier between an
emissary of Assad and EGIS Chief Soliman at Cairo's military
airport (al-Maza), in which Soliman had caught out the
Syrians in lying about their dealings with Mishaal, and had
warned him in explicit terms about the danger that Mishaal's
presence posed to the Assad regime itself.

3. © Mubarak reported that Turkey and Qatar were
attempting to join efforts to resolve the Gaza crisis. He
judged that neither country could contribute much, but he had
no objection to whatever they might do. He said that each
appeared to want to participate as a matter of their national
prestige, rather than having specific influence on the
Palestinians. The Qataris had said as much, and had offered
funding assistance. Mubarak went on to criticize the
Palestinians historically for ""only being interested in
getting Arab money,"" and he criticized the Arabs for offering
it. From here, he went on to relate familiar stories of
Saddam Hussein's bribery of Arafat during the Gulf War, and
attempts to bribe Egyptian officials and journalists with
luxury cars and, in Mubarak's case, with $25 million in cash.

4. © AG Gonzales underscored his hope that the Gaza crisis
can be resolved quickly and with minimal disruption for the
Palestinian civilian population. He thanked Mubarak for his
efforts, and offered to relay any request for assistance from
the United States. Mubarak asked that the United States
""calm"" Israel, expressing concern that, should the situation
in Gaza deteriorate further, the potential exists for
elements of the Gaza population to overrun the Rafah border,
and Egypt is ""not prepared"" for such an eventuality. Mubarak
stressed that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is critical
because the Palestinians had only five days worth of food,
water, and medicine remaining.

5. © Highlighting the daily incitement to terror televised
by the Hezbollah-run Al Manar channel, Gonzales requested
that GOE use existing laws to prohibit Al Manar from being
broadcast via Egypt-based NileSat television. Mubarak
responded that Al Manar is a ""sensitive"" issue, and Egypt is
not ready to prohibit it from utilizing NileSat, as this
would create ""big problems with Hezbollah."" Commenting on
Egyptian relations with Iran, Mubarak expressed his personal
reluctance to re-start diplomatic relations with Iran. He
underscored his recommendation that the United States work
through diplomatic channels to address issues with the
Iranians, and not consider the use of force, noting that
Egypt's position towards Iran is ""balanced"" in order to avoid
any escalation in tensions.

6. © Mubarak stated that he does not foresee a near-term
solution to the current violence and political challenges in
Iraq. He described the Iraqi people as ""tough"" and in need
of a strong leader with robust central authority, rather than
a decentralized U.S.-style democracy. Expressing his concern
about the rising influence of the Shiite population,
especially in Iraq, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait,
Mubarak said the region overall is being ""threatened"" by
increasing Shi'a power. He cautioned AG Gonzales not to
trust the Shiites, and warned, ""the Islamists will stab you
in the back.""

7. © AG Gonzales reviewed his June 29 meetings with the
Minister of Justice, Minister of Interior, and Public
Prosecutor General, commending the overall progress in new
Egyptian legislation in promoting the rule of law, and
praising Mrs. Mubarak for her work on trafficking in persons
issues.

8. (U) The Attorney General's staff has cleared on this cable.
RICCIARDONE
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