Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI1365
2003-03-22 12:05:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
TFIZ01 (EAC): ABU DHABI SITREP NO. 3, MARCH 22
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 05/24/2007 04:48:42 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: SECRET SIPDIS TELEGRAM March 22, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 1365 - UNKNOWN) TAGS: ASEC, AMGT, PTER, PREL, EAID, PGOV Captions: None Subject: TFIZ01 (EAC): ABU DHABI SITREP NO. 3, MARCH 22 Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ S E C R E T ABU DHABI 01365 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: POL INFO: ADM RSO AMB DCM P/M ECON DISSEMINATION: POL CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: DCM: RALBRIGHT DRAFTED: ECON:CCRUMPLER CLEARED: ECON:TWILLIAMS POL:STWILLIAMS RS:JROONEY PAO:KVANDEVATE VZCZCADI430 OO RUEHC RUCNRAQ RUEKJCS RUMICEA RUEKJCS RUEHDE DE RUEHAD #1365/01 0811205 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 221205Z MAR 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8983 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUMICEA/USCINCCENT INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI PRIORITY 2907
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 001365
SIPDIS
NOFORN
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 03/21/13
TAGS: ASEC AMGT KHLS PTER PREL EAID PGOV TC
SUBJECT: TFIZ01 (EAC): ABU DHABI SITREP NO. 3, MARCH 22
REF: A) ABU DHABI 1350 B) DUBAI 1149 C) ABU DHABI 1352
D) ABU DHABI 1359
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 001365
SIPDIS
NOFORN
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 03/21/13
TAGS: ASEC AMGT KHLS PTER PREL EAID PGOV TC
SUBJECT: TFIZ01 (EAC): ABU DHABI SITREP NO. 3, MARCH 22
REF: A) ABU DHABI 1350 B) DUBAI 1149 C) ABU DHABI 1352
D) ABU DHABI 1359
1. (U) Classified by DCM Richard A. Albright, for reasons
1.5 (B) and (D).
--------------
General Overview
--------------
2. (U) COM convened Abu Dhabi's Iraq Task Force/core
Emergency Action Committee (EAC) at 1000 local time, 3/22.
3. (C) Embassy Abu Dhabi is open 3/22 with full staffing,
but with no visa or public services. FCS and the USGS
office in Al Ain are closed completely due to their
location outside of the Embassy compound. In light of the
calm local reaction, however, Task Force/EAC members
decided that the Embassy would open 3/23 as normal,
including the FCS and USGS satellite offices.
4. (C) The Ambassador noted that UAE First Lady Shaykha
Fatima had called this morning to express her condolences
over the loss of six U.S. Marines killed in action since
the onset of hostilities in Iraq.
--------------
Consular Issues
--------------
5. (U) The Consular Section is closed to visa applicants
on 3/22, and is open for American Citizen Services only.
The Consular Section usually is closed to visa applicants
on Sundays for administrative processing. The Task
Force/EAC will determine at its next meeting whether to
resume visa services on 3/24.
--------------
UAEG Actions/Statements
--------------
6. (U) ECON said that local weather conditions -- not the
war -- had affected flights in and out of the UAE. Both
Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports closed for part of Thursday
night due to severe thunderstorms. The General Civil
Aviation Authority confirmed to ECON that Kuwait Airlines
had not moved its operations to Dubai or Sharjah, as
previous news reports had indicated was likely, probably
because Kuwait International Airport is still open for
business.
7. (U) POL reported that the official Friday sermon from
the Mohammed Bin Zayid Mosque in Abu Dhabi made no mention
of Iraq, and focused on conciliation between Christians and
Muslims. Friday sermons from other mosques around town
also urged continued support for the Palestinians. Unlike
other cities in the region, the Friday sermons in Abu Dhabi
concluded without incident or public demonstrations. POL
noted, however, that with the onset of the "shock and awe"
campaign, we might see a more negative public reaction in
the UAE. The Ambassador reminded Task Force/EAC members of
the need to monitor local reaction to U.S. military
actions.
--------------
Security
--------------
8. (C) A senior royal family member contacted the
Ambassador on Friday morning to assure her that no anti-
American demonstrations would take place in Abu Dhabi
following the Friday sermon. RSO confirmed that Abu Dhabi
police have received two requests for demonstrations --
neither was approved -- and security upgrades around the
Embassy are complete.
9. (S/NF) ORCA and RSO were not aware of any new threats.
ORCA advised that ref A-C threat reporting of planned Iraqi
attacks using high-powered explosives and poison gas in the
UAE had been recalled.
--------------
Local Media
--------------
10. (C) PAO confirmed that the raising of the American
flag over the Iraqi town of Umm Qasr had dominated the
headlines of local newspapers and was the focus of an
extremely negative editorial in the "Gulf News" English
daily. She noted that local editorials were not positive;
one Arabic editorial accused U.S. forces of attempting to
"colonize" Iraq. In a reference to remarks by Under
Secretary Marc Grossman at the Foreign Press Center on
SIPDIS
3/19, the number two headline on the front page of the Pan-
Arab "Al-Khaleej" Arabic daily 3/22 read, "The U.S. wants a
new government [of Iraq] which will recognize Israel."
Deputy Secretary Armitage appeared on Abu Dhabi Television
overnight, and the interview will be replayed throughout
the day.
11. (C) PAO learned that her British counterpart also had
received numerous phone calls from the UAE Information
Ministry requesting immediate assistance to embed Abu Dhabi
Television journalists, some of whom currently sit with
Coalition supply units, into our front-line forces. UAE
Information Minister Shaykh Abdulla also told the
Ambassador that Abu Dhabi Television and Al-Jazeera
reporters have been released from the Iraqi Information
Ministry building, but many more journalists remain captive
inside (ref D).
12. (U) Abu Dhabi Iraq Task Force/EAC will reconvene at
1000 local time, 3/23.
13. (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
SIPDIS
NOFORN
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 03/21/13
TAGS: ASEC AMGT KHLS PTER PREL EAID PGOV TC
SUBJECT: TFIZ01 (EAC): ABU DHABI SITREP NO. 3, MARCH 22
REF: A) ABU DHABI 1350 B) DUBAI 1149 C) ABU DHABI 1352
D) ABU DHABI 1359
1. (U) Classified by DCM Richard A. Albright, for reasons
1.5 (B) and (D).
--------------
General Overview
--------------
2. (U) COM convened Abu Dhabi's Iraq Task Force/core
Emergency Action Committee (EAC) at 1000 local time, 3/22.
3. (C) Embassy Abu Dhabi is open 3/22 with full staffing,
but with no visa or public services. FCS and the USGS
office in Al Ain are closed completely due to their
location outside of the Embassy compound. In light of the
calm local reaction, however, Task Force/EAC members
decided that the Embassy would open 3/23 as normal,
including the FCS and USGS satellite offices.
4. (C) The Ambassador noted that UAE First Lady Shaykha
Fatima had called this morning to express her condolences
over the loss of six U.S. Marines killed in action since
the onset of hostilities in Iraq.
--------------
Consular Issues
--------------
5. (U) The Consular Section is closed to visa applicants
on 3/22, and is open for American Citizen Services only.
The Consular Section usually is closed to visa applicants
on Sundays for administrative processing. The Task
Force/EAC will determine at its next meeting whether to
resume visa services on 3/24.
--------------
UAEG Actions/Statements
--------------
6. (U) ECON said that local weather conditions -- not the
war -- had affected flights in and out of the UAE. Both
Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports closed for part of Thursday
night due to severe thunderstorms. The General Civil
Aviation Authority confirmed to ECON that Kuwait Airlines
had not moved its operations to Dubai or Sharjah, as
previous news reports had indicated was likely, probably
because Kuwait International Airport is still open for
business.
7. (U) POL reported that the official Friday sermon from
the Mohammed Bin Zayid Mosque in Abu Dhabi made no mention
of Iraq, and focused on conciliation between Christians and
Muslims. Friday sermons from other mosques around town
also urged continued support for the Palestinians. Unlike
other cities in the region, the Friday sermons in Abu Dhabi
concluded without incident or public demonstrations. POL
noted, however, that with the onset of the "shock and awe"
campaign, we might see a more negative public reaction in
the UAE. The Ambassador reminded Task Force/EAC members of
the need to monitor local reaction to U.S. military
actions.
--------------
Security
--------------
8. (C) A senior royal family member contacted the
Ambassador on Friday morning to assure her that no anti-
American demonstrations would take place in Abu Dhabi
following the Friday sermon. RSO confirmed that Abu Dhabi
police have received two requests for demonstrations --
neither was approved -- and security upgrades around the
Embassy are complete.
9. (S/NF) ORCA and RSO were not aware of any new threats.
ORCA advised that ref A-C threat reporting of planned Iraqi
attacks using high-powered explosives and poison gas in the
UAE had been recalled.
--------------
Local Media
--------------
10. (C) PAO confirmed that the raising of the American
flag over the Iraqi town of Umm Qasr had dominated the
headlines of local newspapers and was the focus of an
extremely negative editorial in the "Gulf News" English
daily. She noted that local editorials were not positive;
one Arabic editorial accused U.S. forces of attempting to
"colonize" Iraq. In a reference to remarks by Under
Secretary Marc Grossman at the Foreign Press Center on
SIPDIS
3/19, the number two headline on the front page of the Pan-
Arab "Al-Khaleej" Arabic daily 3/22 read, "The U.S. wants a
new government [of Iraq] which will recognize Israel."
Deputy Secretary Armitage appeared on Abu Dhabi Television
overnight, and the interview will be replayed throughout
the day.
11. (C) PAO learned that her British counterpart also had
received numerous phone calls from the UAE Information
Ministry requesting immediate assistance to embed Abu Dhabi
Television journalists, some of whom currently sit with
Coalition supply units, into our front-line forces. UAE
Information Minister Shaykh Abdulla also told the
Ambassador that Abu Dhabi Television and Al-Jazeera
reporters have been released from the Iraqi Information
Ministry building, but many more journalists remain captive
inside (ref D).
12. (U) Abu Dhabi Iraq Task Force/EAC will reconvene at
1000 local time, 3/23.
13. (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