(C) TFIZ01: UAE AIRSPACE TO STAY OPEN,

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001344 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR IRAQ TASK FORCE, ALSO NEA/ARP LONDON AND BRUSSELS FOR FAA REPS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/08 TAGS: EAIR MOPS ASEC PREL EAID PGOV AS TC SUBJECT: (C) TFIZ01: UAE AIRSPACE TO STAY OPEN, AUSTRALIAN DEPENDANTS ORDERED HOME, WFP TO OPEN IRAQ OFFICE IN DUBAI ¶1. (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for reasons 1.5 (b, d). IRAQ WAR WON'T CLOSE UAE AIRSPACE -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Muhammad Al-Ghaith, the head of the UAE's federal civil aviation authority, told Econchief 3/19 that he had just signed a circular ordering UAE airspace to remain open in the event of an Iraq contingency. Al-Ghaith said he did not expect air traffic in the UAE would be significantly affected by a war; perhaps a few carriers would reduce flights, but others (including the UAE's own Emirates Airline) would likely add service if demand warranted. AUSTRALIA ORDERS OUT DIPLOMATIC DEPENDANTS -------------- ¶3. (C) Australian Ambassador Campbell told the Ambassador 3/19 that Canberra has decided to pull all diplomatic dependants from the UAE. All diplomatic staff would remain, Campbell noted, but given the regional the determination had been made to send all dependants home. The Australian envoy indicated that not having a similar measure to our authorized or voluntary departure, the GOA had been forced to choose between no action and the ordered departure of dependants. WFP IRAQ OFFICE IN DUBAI -------------- ¶4. (C) MFA A/USEC Abdullah Rashid Al-Nuaimi told Polchief 3/19 that a WFP delegation had that morning met with the MFA to discuss the possibility of opening up an office in Dubai to coordinate humanitarian food shipments to Iraq. Al-Nuaimi said he thought the office would be opened "almost immediately." In response to our demarche on funding for WFP Iraq activities, the MFA official noted that the WFP had not raised this issue and that the UAE in any case will likely continue to deliver its humanitarian aid, including food, through the UAE Red Crescent Authority which still has a good presence on the ground in Iraq and enjoys good working relationships with the Iraqi Red Crescent. Polchief urged Al-Nuaimi to keep us briefed on their assistance efforts so that we could better coordinate and deconflict provision of needed assistance. WAHBA