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