US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI923

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 000923 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/IAI, NEA/NGA, NEA/ARP, DRL, INL 
USTR FOR JASON BUNTIN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2014 
TAGS: PREL, ETRD, KDEM, PHUM, IZ, AF, IR, IS, SY, TC 
SUBJECT: U.S.-UAE Strategic Partnership a success 
 
Ref: (A) Abu Dhabi 906, (B) 03 State 16509 
 
Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba, reasons 
1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary: The UAE hosted the second bilateral 
Strategic Partnership dialogue on March 21 with NEA 
A/S Burns and UAE Information and Culture Minister 
Shaykh Abdullah bin Zayed leading their respective 
delegations.  The two sides reviewed progress on the 
comprehensive action plan that was agreed upon after 
the November 2002 launch of the bilateral dialogue in 
Washington, making special mention of a Trade and 
Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), an Article 98 
agreement, a robust export controls action plan, and 
ongoing plans to stop the trafficking in persons 
problem. 
 
2. (C) The Abu Dhabi meeting also provided a forum for 
a frank exchange on the salient regional issues, 
including Iraq, the Arab-Israeli dispute, Iran, and 
reforms in the Middle East.  Burns and Shaykh Abdullah 
agreed that the UN needed to play a central role in 
helping Iraqis conduct their future elections.  They 
shared concerns about Iran's intentions in Iraq and in 
the region.  Shaykh Abdullah urged the U.S. to stay 
engaged in the peace process.  He also welcomed U.S. 
reforms as long as they were not imposed, and as long 
as there was recognition that change will not come 
overnight.  During his visit to the UAE, Burns also 
met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Shaykh Khalifa bin 
Zayed, a meeting that Abu Dhabi Deputy Crown Prince 
and UAE Armed Forces COS Shaykh Mohammed bin Zayed 
also attended (see ref A).  End Summary. 
 
3. (C) NEA A/S Burns and UAE Information and Culture 
Minister Shaykh Abdullah bin Zayed (AbZ) led the U.S. 
and UAE delegations at the second bilateral Strategic 
Partnership in Abu Dhabi on March 21.  The UAE 
delegation consisted of MFA Assistant U/S for 
political affairs, Abdullah Rashid Al Nuaimi; MFA 
Director for European, American, and Oceanic Affairs, 
Ahmed Al Muqarrab; MFA Protocol Chief Obaid Al Zaabi; 
and America desk officers Shaykha Nejla Al Qassimi and 
Abdul Rahman Al Shamsi.  The U.S. side included the 
Ambassador, DCM, CG, PAO, Polchief and Poloff, and 
Econoff. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Strategic Partnership: Progress on many fronts 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
4. (C) AbZ expressed satisfaction with the way the 
bilateral relationship had grown in the past two years 
and said he hoped it could grow further.  A/S Burns 
said this second Strategic Partnership was a 
reflection of the strength of the relationship.  The 
Ambassador gave a comprehensive overview of the 
progress that had been made in all the different areas 
since the launch of the strategic dialogue (see ref 
B).  She cited trade and investment, military 
cooperation, law enforcement and counter-terrorism 
cooperation and training, trafficking in persons, and 
education.  Signing a TIFA on March 15 in Washington, 
reaching agreement on Article 98, cooperating 
extensively to counter trafficking in persons, which 
resulted in moving the UAE from Tier 3 to Tier 1 in 
the annual Trafficking in Persons report, implementing 
a robust Export Controls and Related Security (EXBS) 
program action plan, and opening the Gulf Air Warfare 
Center for joint exercises at Al Dhafra Air Base have 
been the major bilateral accomplishments.  The 
Ambassador thanked Deputy Prime Minister and Minister 
of State for Foreign Affairs Shaykh Hamdan bin Zayed, 
who was out of town, for his personal commitment to 
the Strategic Partnership. 
 
------------ 
A look ahead 
------------ 
 
5. (C) Bilateral strategic partnership activities will 
be ongoing.  The U.S. is sending a delegation to the 
UAE to attend the Second International Hawala 
Conference on April 3-4.  An Emirati delegation will 
head to Washington for the first TIFA Council April 
26-27.  A/S Rodman will lead the U.S. delegation to 
the first Joint Military Commission on May 1-2 in Abu 
Dhabi.  The two sides will continue to negotiate a 
Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).  The UAE is 
interested in participating in Middle East Partnership 
Initiative programs under each of the four pillars. 
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), 
which is interested in reopening its programs in the 
UAE, will continue to encourage the UAEG to pass a new 
labor law and appropriate amendments that provide for 
the creation of labor organizations to ensure 
laborers' rights to organize and bargain collectively. 
In addition, U.S. and UAE officials both here and in 
Washington will work together to identify appropriate 
Codels and Staffdels to visit the UAE.  Both sides 
expressed a desire to encourage more Emirati travel to 
the U.S. The Emiratis expressed concern about U.S. 
visa and homeland security procedures that have 
discouraged travel. 
 
--------------- 
Regional Issues 
--------------- 
 
Iraq: 
---- 
 
6. (C) AbZ said the UAE is very concerned about 
developments in Iraq.  The UAE knows the U.S. is doing 
its best to restore stability, but he said there is 
still work to be done by Americans and Iraqis to 
ensure a greater UN role, particularly to help Iraqis 
prepare for elections.  Burns said he shared AbZ's 
concerns and agreed the UN needed to play a central 
role.  The Transitional Administrative Law's 
completion, as well as the outlines for a process of 
transfer of sovereignty on June 30 were important 
steps, he added. 
 
7. (C) U/S Abdullah Rashid asked what the impact would 
be if Spain were to withdraw from the Coalition. 
Burns acknowledged that there was frustration in 
Europe, but added that it was absolutely essential for 
everyone to help the Iraqis succeed.  Allowing the UN 
to play a larger role could help persuade the 
Europeans to cooperate after the transfer of 
sovereignty.  AbZ agreed that Iraq finds itself in a 
fragile situation and that everyone's help was needed. 
He said it was important to convey this message to 
Spain because their withdrawal from the Coalition 
would send the wrong signal. 
 
8. (C) AbZ asked Burns if the June 30 date for 
transferring sovereignty would hold.  Burns said it 
would although some problems would remain.  The level 
of U.S. commitment would not change, but it would take 
a different form.  AbZ asked if NATO might play a role 
in Iraq.  Burns said that remained a possibility, 
although he did not see it happening before June 30. 
On the economic side, Burns thanked the UAE, a member 
of the Iraq Core Donors Group, for its financial 
contribution to Iraq's reconstruction and its forward 
thinking on Iraqi debt. 
 
Arab-Israeli dispute 
-------------------- 
 
9. (C) AbZ said the UAE appreciated U.S. support for 
the peace process, despite the difficulties of dealing 
with the present Israeli and Palestinian leadership. 
That said the UAE believes the U.S. can play a more 
active role.  Burns said POTUS was committed to a two- 
state solution and to the Roadmap, and that this would 
require everyone's efforts.  Burns and AbZ discussed 
Sharon's plan for disengagement from Gaza and the 
implications that could have for Gaza's economic and 
security situation.  AbZ said he was concerned that 
Israel's disengagement, if not carefully planned, 
could lead to chaos that extremist groups such as 
HAMAS would exploit.  Burns agreed, but said that to 
avoid chaos, the PA would need to act responsibly and 
there would need to be a lot of outside support from 
donors to provide the social services and other 
support that HAMAS has provided.  Burns thanked the 
UAE for its generous humanitarian assistance to the 
Palestinians, noting that economic reconstruction will 
be crucial if Sharon proceeds with his disengagement 
plan. 
Iran 
---- 
 
10. (C) The UAE was very worried about the recent 
elections in Iran because of what happened to the 
moderates, AbZ said.  He reminded the group that Iran 
still occupies three islands that belong to the UAE. 
When the moderates were in the parliament in Iran, he 
said, the UAE and Iran held talks about the islands. 
"We don't know how things will go now.  The picture is 
quite blurred on that issue," he said.  Burns said the 
U.S. shares the UAE's concerns about Iran, including 
Iran's nuclear program, WMD capability, and 
potentially disruptive role in southern Iraq.  AbZ 
cited a BBC poll that revealed a lot about Iraqi 
attitudes toward Iran.  Asked who they would least 
like to see play a role in Iraq, Iraqi poll 
respondents ranked Iran behind Israel.  AbZ wanted to 
know if the Iranians were getting clear signals from 
the U.S. on their activities in Iraq when they crossed 
"red lines."  The U.S. was sending such messages 
indirectly, Burns said.  AbZ and Burns agreed that the 
Europeans and countries in the region also needed to 
reemphasize those "red lines."  AbZ said that Iran had 
shown itself to be cooperative in Afghanistan and 
could do the same in Iraq, which is even more fragile. 
 
Reforms 
------- 
 
11. (C) AbZ inquired about the Greater Middle East, a 
concept that Emiratis had only read about in the 
newspapers.  Burns clarified U.S. intentions with 
regard to reforms and modernization, reassuring AbZ 
that the U.S. had no intention of trying to impose or 
dictate change on Arab states.  The U.S. was 
responding to calls from within the region for change. 
AbZ said the UAE would prefer to have an exchange of 
views on reforms earlier in the consultative process 
rather than reading about them in the press.  "We were 
under the impression that there were three or four 
large Arab states that knew about the initiative, and 
knew early on," he said.  AbZ acknowledged that the 
region is in need of reform, but "it is not a thing we 
can do overnight."  Burns explained that the coming 
months would see further consultations at the next G-8 
and European summits, along with consultations with 
Arab states. 
 
12. (C) Comment: When the two delegations took stock 
of the Strategic Partnership activities that have 
taken place since we launched the dialogue in November 
2002, there was consensus that the bilateral 
relationship has broadened to cover a multitude of new 
important initiatives.  The framework that we have 
adopted -- working visits and consultations throughout 
the year punctuated by a high-level plenary session 
such as the March 21 dialogue in Abu Dhabi -- has 
proved to be an effective management tool for tracking 
and promoting bilateral issues.  End Comment. 
WAHBA