VZCZCXYZ0016
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #0167 0351627
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 041626Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0149
INFO RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

S E C R E T CAIRO 000167 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/04 
TAGS: PREL MASS ETTC EG
SUBJECT: Country Team Support for Third-Party Transfer to Iraq 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Margaret Scobey, Ambassador, Embassy Cairo; REASON: 
1.4(B), (D) 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  The Egyptian military is requesting third-party transfer 
approval for the sale of M1A1 tanks and ammunition to Iraq.  All of 
the equipment is produced in Egypt under a co-production agreement 
with the United States.  The country team supports the sale. 
 
 
 
¶2.  (C) Egypt proposes selling 140 M1A1 tanks, ammunition, 
training, spare parts, and maintenance to the Iraqi army for an 
undisclosed amount of money.  We understand that a number of 
complex issues would first need to be addressed given Egyptian and 
Iraqi budgetary constraints, ongoing development of a foreign 
military assistance plan for Iraq, legal issues related to the 
co-production agreement, and the potential concerns of General 
Dynamics.  In principle, however, we strongly support this sale and 
the positive contributions it would make to strengthening 
Egyptian-Iraqi ties. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (S)  After an initially cautious approach to the Maliki 
government, Egypt has taken serious steps over the last year to 
develop stronger political, economic, and military ties with Iraq. 
We view these efforts as crucial to building Iraq's ties with the 
Arab world and reducing Iranian influence.  The tank deal is part 
of a much broader Egyptian effort to strengthen the bilateral 
relationship.  In November 2009, Egypt and Iraq signed 16 MOUs 
across several fields, including science and technology, 
agriculture, communications, security affairs and military 
training. 
SCOBEY