Cablegate: Hala Mustafa Reappointed to Ndp Policies Committee

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DE RUEHEG #6974 3301355
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261355Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2708
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS CAIRO 006974

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

NSC STAFF FOR WATERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EG
SUBJECT: HALA MUSTAFA REAPPOINTED TO NDP POLICIES COMMITTEE

REF: A. CAIRO 6857
B. CAIRO 6676

Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.

1. (SBU) Hala Mustafa, the NDP Policies Committee member
who had expressed concerns that her criticism of the GOE and
the ruling NDP had led to threats against her safety and
reputation (retels), has renewed her membership in the
Policies Committee. In an article in Al-Masry Al-Youm (AMAY)
on November 15, Mustafa said that she had held "positive
dialogues" with Gamal Mubarak and NDP Secretary General
Safwat Sherif who had promised to address Mustafa's concerns,
including her complaints of unfounded press attacks and an
alleged embargo on publication of her writings in Al-Ahram,
as well as her concerns about politically-motivated funding
cuts for her monthly "Democracy" at Al-Ahram Center.

2. (SBU) In a wide-ranging interview published by AMAY on
November 19, Mustafa said that her dispute was not with Gamal
Mubarak, the NDP Policies Committee chairman, but rather with
unnamed security officials and unnamed colleagues on the
policy committee "who portrayed me as an agent for America."
Mustafa also noted that she does not see "any alternative" to
Gamal Mubarak and that she would "accept his presidency."
Mustafa opined that advisors close to Gamal "are the main
problem." Finally she suggested that denials by the Mubaraks
that Gamal is seeking to be the next president of Egypt may
be rooted in "uneasiness about expressing political ambition
freely."

3. (SBU) Poloff sought a meeting with Mustafa on November
20 to discuss her AMAY comments; due to the serious illness
of her sister, she said she was unable to meet until the last
week of November. Poloff will follow up with Mustafa.
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