US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI4512

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 004512 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, MOPS, OPDC, IZ, IR, TC 
SUBJECT: SECRETARY'S ORAL MESSAGE TO GCC FOREIGN MINISTERS 
DELIVERED 
 
REF: STATE 264697 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Michele J. Sison, reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary: On December 12, DCM delivered reftel points 
to Ambassador Sultan Al Romeithi, office director for Deputy 
Prime Minister and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs 
Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan.  Al Romeithi expressed his 
government's support for the upcoming Iraqi elections, and 
indicated agreement with the USG position regarding Iran's 
WMD program and its need to comply with IAEA verification. 
Mahmoud Abbas can expect the full support of the UAE 
leadership when he visits here December 19, Al Romeithi 
added.  End Summary. 
 
Iraq 
---- 
 
2. (C) Ambassador Al Romeithi told DCM that the UAEG supports 
the Iraqi elections on January 30.  Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad 
Allawi visited the UAE December 8-10 and was Sheikh Hamdan's 
guest on his private island off the coast of Abu Dhabi.  On 
December 11, NEA DAS Dibble discussed with both UAE 
Information and Culture Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, 
and with MFA Under Secretary Abdullah Rashid Al Noaimi, the 
importance of urging Iraqi Sunni participation in the 
elections.  Al Romeithi said his government would fulfill a 
request from the Iraqi Embassy for assistance in facilitating 
absentee voting by Iraqi expatriates in the UAE. In a 
separate conversation, Special Assistant to Abu Dhabi Crown 
Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Yousef Al Otaiba, told DCM 
that the voting assistance request had come from Iraq Prime 
Minister Allawi's national security advisor Kassim Daoud.  Al 
Otaiba said that the Iraqis wanted assistance in publicizing 
the absentee voting procedures and hoped to use the voting 
arrangements here to support Iraqi expatriates in several 
countries.  The UAE Information Ministry is working with the 
Iraqis on arrangements.  (Note: Although Allawi's visit was 
private and received no press coverage, the UAEG has publicly 
expressed its support for the Iraqis.  On December 5, after a 
meeting with Abdul Aziz Al Hakim, chairman of the Iraqi 
Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution, Sheikh Mohammed bin 
Zayed issued a statement reiterating the UAE's support for 
the Iraqi people.  The statement emphasized the importance of 
inclusiveness in the Iraqi political process.  End note.) 
 
Iran 
---- 
 
3. (S) Al Romeithi nodded in agreement, saying "you know our 
position" as the DCM delivered the points about Iran's WMD 
programs and USG concerns that Iran comply with IAEA 
verification or face referral to the UN Security Council. 
 
Middle East Peace 
----------------- 
 
4. (S) The UAE expects to host Mahmoud Abbas on December 19, 
Al Romeithi told the DCM.  Abbas will ask for UAEG assistance 
for the Palestinian Authority.  Al Romeithi said that Abbas 
has credibility as a leader of the Palestinians, and the UAE 
leadership strongly supports him.  The current situation in 
the Middle East presents "not a window, but a door of 
opportunity, and we must offer our support," Al Romeithi 
said, adding that the UAE intends to support the PA. 
SISON