US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI4706

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004706 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ARP, AND NEA/PPD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, TC 
SUBJECT:  LETTER FROM UAE PRESIDENT TO POTUS REGARDING 
MADRID DONORS CONFERENCE AND IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION 
 
1.  The Office of UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister 
of State for Foreign Affairs Shaykh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al 
Nahyan requested that the Ambassador forward a letter 
from UAE President Shaykh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan to 
the President.  The original will be pouched to the State 
Department.  We are providing an unofficial translation 
of the Arabic text below. 
 
2.  BEGIN TEXT: 
 
October 22, 2003 
 
The Honorable George W. Bush 
President 
United States of America 
Washington, D.C. 20500 
 
Dear Mr. President 
 
We received with appreciation your letter dated October 
16, 2003.  We share your vision regarding the fact that 
the Middle East region is going through a critical phase 
of unrest.  This requires us to intensify our cooperation 
and common efforts to work to overcome this phase so that 
security and stability prevail, and complete development 
will be achieved to provide a good life for the nations 
of the region. 
 
Our participation at the Madrid Donors Conference during 
the month of October stems from our commitment to Iraq 
and its people, as well as the necessity of assisting and 
providing basic needs, such as food, clothing, and 
providing security for the people.  Based on this, we 
have provided a range of assistance in the form of 
foodstuffs, hospital equipment and medicine, crucial 
medical equipment, drilled wells, and built desalination 
plants to provide drinking water, provided a power 
station, among other items.  Our total contribution in 
the aforementioned humanitarian areas has exceeded $150 
million so far.  We continue to provide support and 
assistance to the brotherly Iraqi people.  Concerning our 
participation in the Madrid Donors Conference, we have 
assigned His Excellency the Minister of State for 
Financial Affairs and Industry to lead our delegation. 
 
In conclusion, we are very pleased with the level of our 
present bilateral relations, and we are determined to 
continue our cooperation with your friendly country in 
all domains.  The first priority at this time is 
supporting Iraq, and providing it with the necessary 
resources to help with reconstruction.  This is a 
preliminary step toward restoring its historic role at 
the international level. 
 
With all due respect and appreciation, 
 
Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan 
President 
United Arab Emirates 
 
END TEXT 
 
WAHBA