US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI1399

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 001399 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IRAQ TASK FORCE, ALSO NEA/ARP, NEA/EX, 
CA/OCS/NEASA, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/IP/NEA, DSERCC, AND M 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 03/24/13 
TAGS: ASEC, AMGT, KHLS, PTER, PREL, EAID, PGOV, TC 
SUBJECT:  TFIZ01 (EAC): ABU DHABI SITREP NO. 5, MARCH 24 
 
REF: ABU DHABI 1381 AND PREVIOUS 
 
1.  (U) Classified by DCM Richard A. Albright, for reasons 
1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
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General Overview 
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2.  (U) COM convened Abu Dhabi's Iraq Task Force/core 
Emergency Action Committee (EAC) at 1000 local time, 3/24. 
Embassy Abu Dhabi, FCS (located outside of the Embassy 
compound), and the USGS office in Al Ain are open 3/24 with 
full staffing. 
 
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Consular Issues 
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3.  (U) The Consular Section resumed visa services today 
and has received few calls from concerned AMCITs.  One of 
the wardens from the Abu Dhabi-based Higher Colleges of 
Technology contacted CONS and RSO yesterday to report that 
the university had received a threatening email.  Per 
instructions from RSO, the warden passed the information to 
local police, who are investigating the threat. 
 
4.  (U) FCS noted that the American business community 
remains calm, but reaction from local contacts ranges from 
support for the military campaign in Iraq and determination 
to oust Saddam Hussein, to anger and unwillingness to meet 
with FCS Commercial Officers. 
 
5.  (C) The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) -- 
representatives from the American business community who 
liaise with RSO on security matters -- has met once a week 
for the last month and will reconvene on 3/25.  OSAC 
confirmed to RSO that very few American businesspeople and 
their dependents have left the UAE since the onset of 
hostilities in the region. 
 
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UAEG Actions/Statements 
----------------------- 
 
6.  (S) DAO noted that yesterday NAVCENT received 
outstanding cooperation from the UAE Navy, which located, 
interdicted and searched the fishing vessel "BUSHRA II" and 
released it to Coalition naval forces.  The UAE Navy was 
also trying to locate the motor vessel "MARWAN", which may 
be in UAE waters or in port.  Like the "BUSHRA II", the 
"MARWAN" is suspected of being involved in mining 
operations in the Gulf on behalf of the Iraqi regime. 
 
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Security 
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7.  (C) RSO confirmed that security inspection of American 
and FSN employees at the Embassy would begin tomorrow 3/25. 
Inspections will occur on a random, but reoccurring basis. 
 
8.  (S) ORCA and DAO mentioned a number of recent, 
uncorroborated threat reports of an impending attack 
against American interests in the Gulf, but noted there 
were no specific threats related to the UAE. 
 
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Local Media 
----------- 
 
9.  (U) PAO reported that stories of Iraqi civilian 
casualties and the U.S. POWs dominated the local papers 
today.  Today's local press contained little coverage of 
General Abizaid's news conference, probably owing to the 
fact that the conference occurred at 2300 local time -- too 
late to make the newspapers. 
 
10.  (U) Unlike Abu Dhabi TV, which has presented balanced 
news reporting -- for example, it has not shown the footage 
of the U.S. POWs -- satellite-channel Sharjah TV's backdrop 
showed repeated stills of the bombing of Baghdad.  Sharjah 
TV also hosted yesterday UAE lawyer Dr. Mohammed Al-Rukn, 
who quoted a British general from the 1917 occupation of 
Baghdad and suggested that the U.S.-led Coalition intends 
to occupy Iraq and steal its natural resources.  Abu Dhabi 
TV and Al-Arabiyya channels showed footage of Iraqi 
civilian casualties in hospitals. 
 
11.  (U) Abu Dhabi Iraq Task Force/EAC will reconvene at 
1000 local time, 3/25. 
 
12.  (U) Iraq Task Force/EAC members in attendance included 
AMB, DCM, RSO, DAO, P/M, POL, ECON, CONS, MSG, OBO, PAO, 
ADMIN, USLO, FCS, FBI. 
 
Wahba