US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI4969

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UAEG REACTION TO POTUS DEMOCRACY SPEECH

Identifier: 03ABUDHABI4969
Wikileaks: View 03ABUDHABI4969 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Abu Dhabi
Created: 2003-11-12 12:32:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PREL TC
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
null
Diana T Fritz  03/20/2007 03:48:43 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
CONFIDENTIAL

SIPDIS
TELEGRAM                                        November 12, 2003


To:       No Action Addressee                                    

Action:   Unknown                                                

From:     AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 4969 - ROUTINE)         

TAGS:     PREL                                                   

Captions: None                                                   

Subject:  UAEG REACTION TO POTUS DEMOCRACY SPEECH                

Ref:      None                                                   
_________________________________________________________________
C O N F I D E N T I A L        ABU DHABI 04969

SIPDIS
CXABU:
    ACTION: POL 
    INFO:   AMB DCM P/M ECON RSO PAO 
Laser1:
    INFO:   FCS PAO 

DISSEMINATION: POL
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AMB:MMWAHBA
DRAFTED: POL:JFMAYBURY
CLEARED: NONE

VZCZCADI627
RR RUEHC RUEHZM RUEHDE RUEHLO RUEHFR RUCJACC
DE RUEHAD #4969 3161232
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 121232Z NOV 03
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2397
INFO RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 3532
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0742
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0772
RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 004969 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO FOR NEA/REA, NEA/ARP 
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/13 
TAGS: PREL, TC 
SUBJECT:  UAEG REACTION TO POTUS DEMOCRACY 
SPEECH 
 
Ref: Abu Dhabi 4903 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba, 
Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
1. (C) The UAEG has no plans to react publicly 
to President George Bush's speech on democracy 
in the Middle East region, Ibrahim Al-Abed, the 
senior adviser to Information and Culture 
Minister Shaykh Abdallah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, 
told Polchief November 12.  Al-Abed was quick to 
add that while Emiratis are generally pleased 
with the current political system, they are not 
shy about debating change.  "As far as Emiratis 
are concerned, the speech will go away. 
However, the debate is open in the UAE.  Change 
is on people's minds," he said. 
 
2. (C) Al-Abed told Polchief that Emiratis at 
all levels do not like it when change is 
dictated or preached to them by outsiders.  This 
is particularly so in times of crisis when 
people are preoccupied with the situation of 
Arabs in Iraq and in the West Bank/Gaza.  "One 
right move" by the U.S. with regard to occupied 
lands in West Bank/Gaza would make a bigger 
difference than any speech, said Al-Abed, who is 
originally from Palestine.  In this respect, Al- 
Abed echoed much of the local press sentiment 
reported in reftel.  Emiratis also believe in 
gradualism and are not going to change their 
political system overnight, Al-Abed said. 
Polchief learned from Khadim Al-Darei, the 
deputy manager for de facto Foreign Minister 
Shaykh Hamdan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, that Shaykh 
Hamdan had reviewed President Bush's speech. 
 
3. (C) COMMENT:  We do not expect an official 
public response to the President's speech.  In 
our view, that would be unusual. 
WAHBA 

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