US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI2750

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002750 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR E, NEA/ARP, EB/IFD/ODF 
 
E.O. 12958: 8/11/2013 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, IZ, TC 
SUBJECT:  UPDATE ON UAE ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ 
 
REF: A) ABU DHABI 2566, B) BERLIN 2597 
 
(U) Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Richard Albright 
for reasons 1.5 (B & D). 
 
UAE Aircraft to Iraq 
------------------- 
 
1. (C) On August 14, LtG Naseer Arkaan Al-Abadi, acting 
Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Armed Forces, met with LtG 
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Deputy Crown 
Prince and Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces to 
discuss the UAEG's offer to donate four reconnaissance 
aircraft to Iraq.  The aircraft are less than two years old 
and reportedly in good condition.  Their discussions 
focused on the terms and timing of the transfer as well as 
training for crew and maintenance personnel.  The UAE is 
prepared to transfer the aircraft as soon as the Iraqis are 
prepared to receive them. 
 
UAE-German Training 
------------------- 
 
2. (C) On August 5, the UAE English language newspaper 
"Gulf News" reported that the UAE and Germany had reached 
an agreement to train the Iraqi military.  (also reported 
reftels) On August 8 and August 14, EconChief discussed the 
German-UAE training plans with German CDA, Christian Buck. 
Buck confirmed that the UAE, Germany, and Iraq had reached 
agreement to train the Iraqis and to provide them with 
equipment.  He noted that the details of the training had 
not yet been worked out.  He anticipated that the German 
military would send a "fact finding" mission to the UAE by 
the end of August/early September, so that the details 
could be worked out prior to September's NATO meeting.  He 
said that he did not think that training could start before 
the end of Ramadan. 
 
3. (C) Buck explained that the Germans were giving the 
Iraqis 100 trucks from their stock and that they would need 
to be modified for desert use.  He said that he thought 
four weeks would be required to prepare the trucks and four 
weeks would be needed to ship them.  The UAE would pay to 
ship the trucks to Iraq.  Buck also said that he thought 
that about 90 of the trucks would go to Iraq and about 10 
would go to the UAE so that the Iraqis would be able to use 
them for training here. 
 
4. (C) On August 14, Buck told EconChief that a German team 
had just left the UAE after agreeing to start the next 
training session for Iraqi police in the end of September. 
The plan would be to have the German trainers stay for two 
back-to-back four-week sessions (about 100 Iraqis 
each)running through Ramadan.  The UAE would cover the 
costs of the Iraqis attending the training. 
 
Sison