US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI1382

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(S) UAE TO KEEP IRAQI MISSIONS OPEN, BUT FULLY BOXED-IN

Identifier: 03ABUDHABI1382
Wikileaks: View 03ABUDHABI1382 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Abu Dhabi
Created: 2003-03-23 13:32:00
Classification: SECRET//NOFORN
Tags: PREL PGOV IZ TC
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
null
Diana T Fritz  05/24/2007 04:47:34 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
SECRET

SIPDIS
TELEGRAM                                           March 23, 2003


To:       No Action Addressee                                    

Action:   Unknown                                                

From:     AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 1382 - UNKNOWN)         

TAGS:     PREL, PGOV                                             

Captions: None                                                   

Subject:  (S) UAE TO KEEP IRAQI MISSIONS OPEN, BUT FULLY BOXED-IN

Ref:      None                                                   
_________________________________________________________________
S E C R E T        ABU DHABI 01382

SIPDIS
CXABU:
    ACTION: ECON 
    INFO:   P/M AMB DCM POL 
Laser1:
    INFO:   FCS 

DISSEMINATION: ECON
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AMB:MMWAHBA
DRAFTED: ECON:TEWILLIAMS
CLEARED: DCM:RAALBRIGHT, PMIL:MFOWLER

VZCZCADI481
OO RUEHC RUCNRAQ
DE RUEHAD #1382 0821332
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 231332Z MAR 03
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9001
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T ABU DHABI 001382 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
STATE FOR NEA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/13 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, IZ, TC 
SUBJECT: (S) UAE TO KEEP IRAQI MISSIONS OPEN, BUT 
FULLY BOXED-IN 
 
REF:  STATE 75557 
 
1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MARCELLE M. WAHBA 
FOR REASONS 1.5 (B,D). 
 
2.  (S)  AMBASSADOR DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE ON 
THE AFTERNOON OF 3/23 TO MFA MINSTATE SHAYKH 
HAMDAN BIN ZAYID (OTHER TOPICS SEPTEL, NOTAL). 
SHAYKH HAMDAN REPEATED WHAT HE HAS TOLD US BEFORE 
-- NAMELY, THAT THE UAEG IS RELUCTANT TO CLOSE 
IRAQ'S DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS HERE BECAUSE OF THE 
"GREAT VALUE" BEING DERIVED FROM THE UAE MISSION 
IN BAGHDAD.  DESIROUS OF AVOIDING A TIT-FOR-TAT 
CLOSURE, THE UAEG HAS MADE CLEAR TO THE IRAQI 
DIPLOMATS HERE THAT THEY ARE TO BEHAVE THEMSELVES. 
THE AMBASSADOR NOTED IN PARTICULAR THE NEED TO 
KEEP TABS ON IRAQI INTELLIGENCE SERVICE 
OPERATIVES.  SHAYKH HAMDAN REASSURED THE 
AMBASSADOR THAT SURVEILLANCE OF THE OFFICIAL 
IRAQIS IS CONSTANT AND INTRUSIVELY OBVIOUS.  HE 
BELIEVED THEY HAD GOTTEN THE MESSAGE. 
 
3.  (S/NF)  SHAYKH HAMDAN NOTED THAT HE GETS CALLS 
3-4 TIMES PER DAY FROM THE UAE CHARGE IN BAGHDAD 
(USING A THURAYYA SATELLITE TELEPHONE).  THE 
EMIRATI MISSION IS ABLE TO GLEAN USEFUL 
INFORMATION FROM ITS CONTACTS ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS 
INSIDE IRAQ (INDEED, DURING THE MEETING THE 
EMIRATI CHARGE IN BAGHDAD CALLED SHAYKH HAMDAN TO 
REPORT ON 20 EXPLOSIONS IN WESTERN BAGHDAD AROUND 
THE TAJI MILITARY COMPLEX AND A NUMBER OF OTHER 
SITES).  AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE INFORMATION THE UAEG 
IS ABLE TO OBTAIN, THE MFA MINSTATE CONFIDED THAT 
IRAQI SOURCES HAVE TOLD THE EMIRATIS IN BAGHDAD 
THAT ALI HASSAN AL-MAJID (AKA "CHEMICAL ALI) IS 
DEAD. 
 
4.  (S/NF)  COMMENT:  THE UAE CLEARLY BELIEVES 
THAT THE THREAT POSED BY ALLOWING IRAQI MISSIONS 
TO REMAIN OPEN HERE HAS BEEN EFFECTIVELY MITIGATED 
BY AGGRESSIVE SURVEILLANCE, STRICT WARNINGS TO 
IRAQI DIPLOMATS, AND THE COOPTION OF KEY PERSONNEL 
(MOST NOTABLY THE IRAQI AMBASSADOR).  WE WOULD 
NOTE THAT ORCA CHIEF HERE IS OF A SIMILAR VIEW. 
GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE THE UAEG ATTACHES TO KEEPING 
TABS ON DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ, AND THE RELATIVELY 
EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF CONTACTS WHICH THE UAEG 
ENJOYS IN BAGHDAD AND BEYOND, WE DO NOT BELIEVE 
THE UAEG IS LIKELY TO CHANGE ITS VIEW THAT CLOSING 
IRAQ'S DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS HERE IS NOT IN THE 
INTEREST OF THE EMIRATES. 
 
WAHBA 

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