US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI1662

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001662 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/NGA AND NEA/ARP 
 
STATE ALSO FOR PRM/ANE 
 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD AMBASSADOR LITT 
 
NSC FOR ABRAMS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/08 
TAGS: ECON, PREL, IZ, TC 
SUBJECT:  UAE:  ENCOURAGING GCC EFFORT ON 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR IRAQ 
 
REF:  State 86877 
 
1. (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba 
for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
2. (C) The Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to 
MFA Minstate Shaykh Hamdan bin Zayid Al-Nahyan late 
in the evening on April 6.  Hamdan, along with Abu 
Dhabi Crown Prince Khalifa bin Zayid, had met 
earlier in the day with Qatari FM Hamad bin Jassem 
Al-Thani.  Hamdan confirmed that Iraq's humanitarian 
needs would be on the agenda of the April 7 GCC 
Foreign Ministerial in Kuwait and there would be 
mention of it in the communique.  (Note:  The UAE 
will be represented by titular Foreign Minister 
Rashid Abdullah Al-Nuaimi.  See septel on Hamdan's 
comments about other topics to be raised at the 
meeting. End Note.) 
 
3. (C) Hamdan said the UAE was eager to deliver 
humanitarian aid and, with the exception perhaps of 
Kuwait, is one of the only GCC countries with the 
means, personnel and expertise to get assistance 
into Iraq.  In fact, Hamdan noted that the Bahrainis 
and Qataris have already informally approached the 
UAE Red Crescent Authority to have the RCA move 
assistance from these countries via RCA channels. 
In Hamdan's view, the UAE RCA, with its already 
strong connections in Iraq, would find more 
acceptance as a deliverer of humanitarian aid than 
other, unspecified, countries in the region. 
 
4. (C) Other than facilitating the shipments of 
sister Red Crescent societies, Hamdan stated, the 
UAEG prefers not to coordinate formally on a GCC 
basis as the Emiratis do not want to be held hostage 
to the processes of other states.  He further noted 
that the UAE had hosted that day a meeting between 
the ICRC and the International Federation of Red 
Crescent societies during which the participants 
discussed moving aid through Kuwait and Syria.  (See 
septel for a readout from the RCA on this meeting.) 
 
5. (C) Hamdan indicated that the UAEG was under 
pressure to quickly move humanitarian assistance 
because of the heightened public concern about 
civilian hardships in Iraq.  The RCA had collected 
items from the private sector and a number of 
citizens and expatriates.  Hamdan also noted the 
Dirhams 7 million (approx USD 3 million) private 
donation made by his mother, UAE First Lady Shaykha 
Fatima Bint Mubarak Al-Kitbi. 
 
6. (C) Hamdan briefed that the UAE was ready to 
launch a ship with 700 tons of RCA assistance on 
Tuesday, 4/8.  (Note:  The RCA and the UAE GHQ have 
coordinated this shipment with the Embassy.  The HOC 
has approved the shipment and we are awaiting last 
minute details from the UAE side and CENTCOM/NAVCENT 
to facilitate the ship's access to Umm Qasr.  End 
Note.) 
 
7. (C) COMMENT:  As we have previously noted, the 
UAE prefers to channel its assistance on a bilateral 
basis.  This ensures accountability and, addresses 
the UAEG's political need to demonstrate to the UAE 
public that it is providing humanitarian relief to 
the Iraqi people.  END COMMENT. 
 
WAHBA