US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI2044

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UAE WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT POSSIBLY BY 2004- 05 WOMEN AT THE FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL

Identifier: 04ABUDHABI2044
Wikileaks: View 04ABUDHABI2044 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Abu Dhabi
Created: 2004-06-22 11:53:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: PGOV KWMN KDEM TC
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
null
Diana T Fritz  02/06/2007 05:35:02 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS
TELEGRAM                                            June 22, 2004


To:       No Action Addressee                                    

Action:   Unknown                                                

From:     AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 2044 - ROUTINE)         

TAGS:     PGOV, KDEM                                             

Captions: None                                                   

Subject:  UAE WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT POSSIBLY BY 2004- 05 WOMEN AT  
          THE FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL                           

Ref:      None                                                   
_________________________________________________________________
UNCLAS        ABU DHABI 02044

SIPDIS
CXABU:
    ACTION: CDA 
    INFO:   PAO POL ECON 
Laser1:
    INFO:   PAO 

DISSEMINATION: CDA
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: CDA:RALBRIGHT
DRAFTED: POL:RBASSIL
CLEARED: POL:JFMAYBURY

VZCZCADI501
RR RUEHC RUCNDT RUEHZM
DE RUEHAD #2044 1741153
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221153Z JUN 04
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4807
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1193
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002044 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR DRL, NEA/PI, AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KWMN, KDEM, TC 
SUBJECT: UAE WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT POSSIBLY BY 2004- 
05 WOMEN AT THE FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL 
 
REF: ABU DHABI 2034 
 
1. THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE UAE GENERAL WOMEN'S 
UNION, NOURA AL-SUWEIDI, TOLD POLCHIEF ON JUNE 21 THAT 
WOMEN COULD BE APPOINTED TO THE 40-MEMBER FEDERAL 
NATIONAL COUNCIL (FNC) DURING THE 2004-05 SESSION THAT 
BEGINS IN THE FALL.  AL-SUWEIDI MENTIONED THAT A LIST OF 
WOMEN NOMINATED BY RULERS OF EACH EMIRATE HAS BEEN 
COMPILED AND SUBMITTED TO PRESIDENT SHAYKH ZAYED, WHO 
WILL REVIEW AND APPROVE THE NAMES.  "WE WILL HAVE WOMEN 
IN THE PARLIAMENT IN THE NEXT SESSION, GOD WILLING," SHE 
SAID. 
 
2. IN RECENT YEARS, SHAYKH ZAYED'S WIFE, SHAYKHA FATIMA, 
HAS CALLED PUBLICLY FOR THE RULERS OF EACH OF THE SEVEN 
EMIRATES AND THE FNC TO INCLUDE UAE WOMEN IN THE 
POLITICAL PROCESS, INCLUDING APPOINTING THEM TO THE FNC. 
NOURA AL-SUWEIDI HAS HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH THE FNC 
LEADERSHIP TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF OPENING UP THE 
PARLIAMENT MEMBERSHIP TO WOMEN.  OUR FNC CONTACTS HAVE 
CONFIRMED THAT THESE MEETINGS HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND HAVE 
BEEN FRUITFUL, BUT THEY DID NOT SAY THAT THERE WAS A 
SPECIFIC TIMEFRAME WHEN THEY EXPECTED WOMEN TO BE 
APPOINTED. 
 
3. THE DISCUSSION WITH AL-SUWEIDI ALSO COVERED THE 
RECENTLY RELEASED TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT (SEE 
REFTEL), AL-SUWEIDI'S PARTICIPATION IN THE MEPI 
"CAMPAIGN SCHOOL" IN DOHA LAST SPRING, AND A PLANNED 
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S CONFERENCE THAT THE GWU WILL 
SPONSOR.  AL-SUWEIDI AND HER STAFF GAVE POLCHIEF, 
EMBASSY POLITICAL ASSISTANT, AND THE SECTION'S SUMMER 
INTERN, A COMPREHENSIVE TOUR OF THE GWU, THE PRE-EMINENT 
WOMEN'S ORGANIZATION IN THE UAE. 
1. SUMMARY: POLITICAL CHIEF AND STAFF VISITED THE UAE 
GENERAL WOMEN'S UNION YESTERDAY MONDAY JUNE 21, AND MET 
WITH THE UNION'S DIRECTOR GENERAL NOURA AL SUWEIDI TO 
DISCUSS SEVERAL ISSUES RELATING TO WOMEN'S ROLE AND 
DEVELOPMENT IN THE UAE. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. POLITICAL CHIEF DISCUSSED THE ISSUE OF WOMEN'S ROLE IN 
DECISION-MAKING, AND INQUIRED ABOUT WOMEN'S FUTURE PARTICIPATION 
IN THE FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL (FNC), THE UAE PARLIAMENT.  AL 
SUWEIDI MENTIONED THAT A LIST OF WOMEN NOMINATED BY RULERS OF 
EACH EMIRATE HAS BEEN COMPILED AND SUBMITTED TO PRESIDENT SHEIKH 
ZAYED, WHO WILL REVIEW AND APPROVE THE NAMES.  SHE ADDED THAT WE 
SHOULD SEE "INSHALLAH" WOMEN MEMBERS AT THE NEXT FNC SESSION. 
 
ALBRIGHT 

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