US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI1827

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001827 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IRAQ TASKFORCE, NEA/ARP, NEA/NGA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/13 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, IZ, TC 
SUBJECT:  TFIZ01:  UAE PRESIDENT ISSUES 
STATEMENT ON IRAQ 
 
1. (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba 
for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
2. (U) In his first public statement since the 
outbreak of Iraq hostilities, UAE President Shaykh 
Zayid bin Sultan Al-Nahyan declared the UAE's 
commitment to and solidarity with the people of 
Iraq in remarks carried by all of the UAE's major 
newspapers on 4/15.  Zayid reiterated the UAE's 
support for Iraqi efforts to rebuild and regain 
control of their country.  He also emphasized the 
UAE's firm position on the need to protect Iraq's 
sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as 
the right for Iraqis to "determine their destiny 
without foreign interference or trusteeship." 
Zayid ordered the UAEG to redouble its efforts to 
provide humanitarian assistance and instructed the 
Armed Forces to set up a field hospital in Iraq 
(see septel). 
 
3. (U) Zayid called upon Iraqis to set aside their 
differences, "rise above hatred" and work together 
in a spirit of unity and reconciliation.  He 
recalled that the UAE had worked hard to prevent 
the war.  In a reference to his initiative for 
Saddam to step down, introduced and rejected at the 
March 1 Arab League Summit, Zayid stated "we 
addressed the former Iraqi leadership and offered 
our advice to them, but they chose not to heed our 
reason and were carried away by their pride." 
Zayid regretted the deaths of Iraqi civilians as a 
result of the conflict and the current state of 
"chaos" gripping much of Iraq. 
 
4. (U) Zayid emphasized the importance of the 
United Nations in maintaining international 
legitimacy, peace and security.  He urged the 
members of the coalition to allow Iraqis to run 
their affairs as soon as possible and looked 
forward to a "healthy" Iraq that can "provide 
freedom, pride and justice for all." 
 
5. (C) COMMENT: Zayid's statement hits on all of 
the themes the Emirati leadership has emphasized 
privately with us since the crisis began.  The 
plight of Iraqi civilians, the need to preserve 
Iraq's territorial integrity (read:  Iranian and 
Turkish ambitions) and the danger of an extended 
U.S./coalition presence are all addressed.  Most of 
all, however, Zayid's remarks were directed to the 
UAE people who almost universally opposed the 
conflict.  Zayid's reference to his initiative 
reminds the public that the leadership, in the face 
of regional opposition, did its utmost to avert the 
conflict and put the blame squarely on Saddam.  He 
signaled to his people that it is now time to move 
in committing the UAE to building a new and better 
Iraq. 
 
WAHBA