US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI2326

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002326 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ARP, NEA/NGA, E, EB, EB/CBA AND 
PM 
 
DEPT FOR USAID 
 
SECDEF FOR USEC ZAKHEIM, ALSO PRINCIPAL D/USEC RYAN 
HENRY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 05/12/08 
TAGS: ECON, PREL, PGOV, IZ, TC 
SUBJECT:  UAE SENDING IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION TEAM TO 
WASHINGTON FOR DISCUSSIONS 
 
 
1.  (U) Classified by Charge Richard A. Albright for 
reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
2.  (U)  This is an action message -- please see 
paragraph five. 
 
3.  (C) At the initiative of MFA Minstate Shaykh 
Hamdan bin Zayied, the UAE is sending a nine-member 
delegation to Washington during the week of May 19 to 
discuss Iraq reconstruction.  Growing out of the UAE's 
participation in the informal consulting group on Iraq 
reconstruction, the goal of the visit is to showcase 
the capabilities of the UAE to assist in 
rehabilitating certain key sectors in Iraq, and to 
make initial contacts face to face with U.S. 
policymakers involved in helping map out the 
reconstruction agenda.  Timed to coincide with the 
visit of UAE Chief of Staff LtgTG Shaykh Mughammad bin 
Zayid, the reconstruction team will hew to a separate 
schedule.  Participants will be: 
 
A.  Sultan bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of the 
Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority; 
 
B.  Abdullah Rashid Al-Nuaimi, MFA Assistant 
Undersecretary/Usec for pPolitical aAffairs; 
 
C.  Saeed Saif Al-Suweidi, Chairman of the UAE 
Federation of Chambers of Commerce; 
 
D.  Muhammad Omran, Deputy CEO at UAE telecoms 
monopoly Etisalat and also Chairman of the Board of 
Directors of satellite telephone firm Thuraya; 
 
E.  Obeid Al-Tayer, Chairmanhead of the Dubai Chamber 
of Commerce; 
 
F.  Finance A/Usec Khalid Al-Bustani, Assistant 
Undersecretary, Ministry of Finance; 
 
G.  Saeek Al-Hamiz, Central Bank Executive Director 
for Banking Supervision at the Central BankSaeed Al- 
Hamiz; 
 
H.  Rashid Al-Suweidi, MFA Minstate Hamdan bin Zayid's 
representative on the UAE's interagency Iraq 
reconstruction committee; and, 
 
I.  Ali Mubarak,  Director, Department of Origins, 
Ministry if Commerce (largely involved in textile 
quota issues). 
 
4.  (C)  Charge met with MFA A/USEC Abdullah Rashid 
Al-Nuaimi May 12 to discuss the visit.  The UAE 
official said that his government wishes to establish 
direct contact with key USG decision-makers on Iraq 
reconstruction and to showcase the significant 
capabilities of the UAE, particularly in the fields of 
shipping/customs pre-clearance, financial services, 
and telecommunications.  Al-Nuaimi acknowledged that 
these would largely be introductory meetings, but he 
stressed that the UAEG considers it important now to 
"open that first door."  Charge outlined possible 
interlocutors, including the key USG participants in 
the weekly Iraq reconstruction conference calls; the 
MFA official said this would be an excellent place to 
start. 
 
5.  (U)  Comment and Action Request:  This visit has 
high-level support here and while we have been careful 
to seek to manage expectations (by, for example, 
dissuading the Emiratis from having the Minister of 
Economy and Commerce head the delegation, instead 
emphasizing that this would be a series of 
introductory calls on the key USG officials guiding 
the Iraq reconstruction effort).  Nonetheless,, it is 
clear that the UAEG sees this trip as a means to lay 
out their capabilities and stake a claim to a piece of 
the Iraq reconstruction pie.  Given the sensitivities 
involved, post would very much appreciate the 
Department's assistance in organizing a comprehensive 
schedule for this short-notice, but significantmajor 
Emirati delegation.  Activities beyond meetings with 
conference call principals at DoD, Treasury and State 
could include an activity with BCIU or the Arab-U.S. 
Chamber, meeting with senior the USAID officials 
Director, as well as possible side-bars for select 
delegation members on Strategic Dialogue issues (such 
as OPIC coverage for the UAE and ARBIFT).  We also 
pulsed Abdullah Rashid on his availability for 
meetings in the Department on broader Strategic 
Dialogue issues (ICC Article 98, Trafficking in 
Persons, etc.) and he said he would welcome this, but 
that his primary focus would be to accompany the group 
on Iraq reconstruction meetings. 
 
6.  (U)  This message coordinated with Amconsul Dubai. 
 
Albright