Cablegate: Israeli Embassy On Status of Relations with Egypt

VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #5031 2261500
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 141500Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0568
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 005031

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ECON MEPN KPAL EG IS LE
SUBJECT: ISRAELI EMBASSY ON STATUS OF RELATIONS WITH EGYPT

Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1. (C) Israeli Embassy Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Israel
Tikochinski called on the DCM August 13 to discuss the status
of Israel-Egypt relations. The GOI is pleased overall, he
reported, with the GOE's bilateral response to the recent
crises in Gaza and Lebanon. Nevertheless, according to
Tikochinski, Egypt had taken steps to register official upset
over civilian deaths in Lebanon: suspension of activities of
GOE-GOI working groups on tourism and agriculture. Egypt's
actions had not been widely publicized, nor would they have
significant short-term economic impact, Tikochinski said.

2. (C) Regarding the agriculture talks, Tikochinski noted
that the bilateral agriculture committee coordinated the
issue of palm frond exports from Egypt to Israel. The
Egyptian side, he said, had recently provided assurances that
despite suspension of the working group's activities, Egypt
would permit export of 500,000 palm fronds to Israel in time
for the Jewish holiday of Succot in September (Note: Egypt is
the primary source of palm fronds for Succot to Israel).

3. (C) Tikochinski said Egypt had also postponed bilateral
consultations with Israel on Qualified Industrial Zones
(QIZs) scheduled for later this month. No new date, he
added, had been determined, despite efforts by Israel's Trade
Ministry to formally reschedule the talks. Tikochinski also
complained about Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit's public
statements on Lebanon in which he called for immediate
cease-fire and failed to name Hizbollah as the instigator of
the Lebanon crisis.

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