US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI1049

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001049 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2015 
TAGS: MASS, PREL, IZ, TC 
SUBJECT: UAE, GERMANY, AND IRAQ SIGN MILITARY TRAINING 
AGREEMENT 
 
REF: 04 ABU DHABI 1826 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) During German Chancellor Schroeder,s visit to the UAE 
March 4-5, the UAE, Germany, and Iraq signed an agreement 
which provides for the training of Iraqi military personnel. 
The agreement, which expands the role of Germany and the UAE 
in training members of the Iraqi armed forces, clears the way 
for training and equipping an engineering unit. 
 
2. (U) Germany will supply the instructors and provide the 
250 Iraqi trainees with the necessary equipment, including 
graders, bulldozers, 20-ton cranes, and cement mixers.  The 
UAE military will cover the expenses of the trainers, 
trainees, and interpreters, according to the German Embassy. 
The top Iraqi official at the signing ceremony was Bruska 
Noori Shaways, Secretary General of Iraq,s Ministry of 
Defense.  UAE Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General 
Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithy represented his government. 
 
3. (U) UAE-German military cooperation on Iraq dates back to 
November 17 when 122 Iraqi personnel were trained to operate, 
repair, and maintain 100 Daimler-Mercedes 5-ton trucks sold 
by Germany to the UAE.  The UAE paid to transport the trucks 
to Iraq, as well as the expenses of the German trainers, 
translators, and Iraqi trainees. 
 
4. (C) German training for the Iraqi military was preceded by 
German training for Iraqi civil police (see reftel). 
According to the German Embassy, during 2004, about a dozen 
trainers from Germany,s equivalent of the FBI trained a 
total of 431 Iraqi police in the fundamentals of crime scene 
investigation.  There were four, four-week courses.  The 
courses took place at Al Ain Police College in Abu Dhabi 
emirate, and included anywhere from eight to 15 UAE police 
participants.  In addition, the UAE provided food, 
accommodations, a small per diem, and transportation for the 
Iraqi police between Iraq and the UAE. 
 
5. (C) The German Embassy has told us that 30 Iraqi police 
are currently undergoing personal protection training.  The 
four-week course involves eight instructors from the German 
federal police, and is designed to train Iraqi police to 
protect Iraqi politicians.  The course will be followed by a 
two-month course in hostage rescue techniques for the same 
group of Iraqi police officers.  The UAE police will provide 
that training.  Germany is providing radios, some weapons, 
ammunition, and other equipment.  The UAE is providing 
training grounds at an armed forces location, as well as 
automobiles.  In the future, Germany hopes to offer training 
in EOD tactics, which the Iraqis have requested. 
 
6. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
SISON