Cablegate: Cairo Regional Conference On Judicial/Criminal
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS CAIRO 009581
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
USDOJ FOR CRIMINAL DIVISION - DAVID WARNER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CJAN KCRM KJUS EG
SUBJECT: CAIRO REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON JUDICIAL/CRIMINAL
COOPERATION
Sensitive but Unclassified. Please Protect Accordingly.
1. (SBU) Embassy Cairo has been working with the Criminal
Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Egyptian
Ministry of Justice, and the Regional Representative of the
U.N. Office of Drugs and Crime to support a Regional
Conference on International Cooperation in Judicial and
Criminal Matters, to be hosted by Egypt in Cairo on March 8-9.
2. (SBU) The Conference, originally proposed by Egypt during
bilateral judicial consultations in January 2005, is intended
to bring together key working-level judicial officials from
countries throughout the region to promote assistance in
legal and criminal matters between and among participating
countries. The program will particularly stress the
importance of establishing and maintaining a central
authority to handle international legal cooperation requests.
Currently, this concept is underdeveloped in a number of
regional states.
3. (SBU) A USD 14,000 grant from the Embassy's 632 (a) small
grants program has been issued in support of the conference.
The grant will be used to support the participation of
outside experts in international legal cooperation, to fund
translation services, and other logistical support for the
conference. (USDOJ also intends to send a small delegation
to participate.)
4. (SBU) Egypt intends to issue in early January invitations
to all Arab League member states to send two representatives
involved in policy making and coordination in the fields of
mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. Participating
countries will be expected to bear the expenses of their
delegations.
5. (SBU) Egyptian MOJ contacts noted that some invited
countries (they mentioned Yemen and Morocco) may have
difficulty financing their delegations' participation.
Certain NEA posts may wish to consider facilitating host
country participation, through MEPI grants or other USG
funding sources, in this rule of law strengthening activity.
JONES