Cablegate: Status of Container Security Programs in Egypt

VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #2580 3651356
ZNR UUUUU ZZH(CCY ADX001455D4 MSI4733)
P 301356Z DEC 08 ZDS
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1244
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS CAIRO 002580

// C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - ADDRESSEE DHS CORRECTED //

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

NEA/ELA FOR SCHALL
EEB FOR HAYWOOD
ENERGY FOR NNSA MUSTIN AND BEDKE
DHS FOR HORTON AND BAIG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EWWT PTER EG
SUBJECT: STATUS OF CONTAINER SECURITY PROGRAMS IN EGYPT

REF: SIDEREAS-HUIZENGA EMAIL 12/17/08

Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.

1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 3.

2. (SBU) Implementation of the Container Security Initiative
(CSI) program at the Port of Alexandria has been stalled
since June 2008. The U.S. and GOE agreed to pursue a CSI
program in Alexandria in a memorandum of understanding known
as a Declaration of Principles (DoP) between the Egyptian

Customs Authority (ECA) and the U.S. Departments of Homeland
Security/Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Department
of Energy (DOE) in June 2006. In June 2008, ECA notified the
embassy that the Egyptian interagency wanted to renegotiate
the 2006 DoP as a cooperative agreement strictly between the
ECA and CBP. In August 2008, ECA Senior Advisor Galal Abou
el Fotouh told CBP, DOE and econoff that the GOE interagency
will not allow ECA to engage directly with DOE on container
security programs and wants to conclude a Customs agency to
customs agency agreement and limit scanning to U.S.-bound
containers only.

3. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Relevant stakeholders at CBP, DOE
and Embassy Cairo agreed to this approach in a conference
call on December 17. We ask that CBP and DOE, in
consultation with NEA/ELA, prepare a new DoP in line with the
GOE's request. We also request a memorandum articulating how
implementation of CSI in Alexandria will proceed to help the
GOE understand next steps.

4. (SBU) COMMENT: While the Egyptian position falls short
of our full request, we believe that getting the program
established and operational will increase GOE comfort level
with the program and set the stage for future expansion. END
SCOBEY

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