US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI5297

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 005297 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/13 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PGOV, GCC, TC 
SUBJECT: UAE, OMAN DISCUSS COMMON SECURITY 
CONCERNS, DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE 
 
REF: ABU DHABI 4764 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba, 
Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
1. (C) Summary: UAE Deputy Prime Minister and MFA 
Minstate Shaykh Hamdan bin Zayed (HbZ) briefed 
the Ambassador December 14 on his talks with 
Sultan Qaboos in Oman.  HbZ said the talks 
centered on regional security, Saudi Arabia's 
internal unrest, and UAE financial assistance for 
a regional road project and Omani development 
projects.  End summary 
 
2. (C) Three months after meeting in Muscat to 
formally settle the UAE's historical border 
dispute with Oman, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and 
de facto Foreign Minister Hamdan bin Zayed met 
again with Sultan Qaboos this past week to 
discuss the two countries' future security 
cooperation and other bilateral issues.  This was 
the third meeting that HbZ has had with Sultan 
Qaboos.  Their first meeting included HbZ's older 
brother, UAE Armed Forces Chief of Staff (and 
recently appointed Deputy Crown Prince of Abu 
Dhabi) LTG Shaykh Mohammed bin Zayed.  The last 
two meetings have been one-on-one, he told the 
Ambassador. 
 
3. (C) HbZ reported that Sultan Qaboos was deeply 
concerned about security in light of the 
situation in the region.  He cited Iraq, unrest 
in Saudi Arabia, and the violence in 
Palestine/Israel.  Sultan Qaboos requested, and 
the UAE has agreed to provide, Oman with patrol 
boats, communications gear, and radar 
capabilities to guard their coastline.  They 
discussed KSA at length and Qaboos told HbZ that 
he believed the Saudis were in for a long 
struggle with their extremists that could last 10 
to 15 years, and it was not certain that they 
would win the battle. 
 
4. (C) On the development side, Oman wants a $100 
million grant from the UAE to build a road 
between Nizwa and Salala.  The UAE is planning to 
ask Kuwait and KSA to each match that with $100 
million of their own.  The Emiratis are already 
building the road between Sur and Muscat.  Oman 
also asked for 1 billion dirhams ($270 million) 
for other development projects.  The UAE is 
considering how much of this to give as a loan. 
 
5. (C) The UAE sees the relationship with Oman as 
one of its primary strategic relationships.  The 
UAE, Oman, and Qatar need to have close 
cooperation and coordination, HbZ and Qaboos 
agreed.  Together, they could have a strong 
influence on the stability and security of the 
region.  HbZ commented that on the political 
level, Manama is much closer to KSA, and Kuwait 
is in the middle of that spectrum.  Gone are the 
days when KSA would say something, and all the 
other Gulf states would jump.  Now, even Qatar 
alone can tell KSA no. 
WAHBA