UAE ROLE IN INFORMAL INTERNATIONAL CONTACT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002016 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2013 TAGS: ECON EAID PREL PGOV EFIN TC SUBJECT: UAE ROLE IN INFORMAL INTERNATIONAL CONTACT GROUP TO RAISE FUNDS FOR IRAQ STABILIZATION, HUMANITARIAN RELIEF AND RECONSTRUCTION REF: STATE 106648 ¶1. (U) Classified by Marcelle M. Wahba, Ambassador, reason 1.5 (B) and (D). ¶2. (C) DCM delivered reftel points April 27 on UAE participation in the Informal International Contact Group for Iraq to MFA A/USEC for Political Affairs Abdullah Rashed al Nuaimi, noting that the UAE's regional perspective, its experience with Iraq and its port and transportation infrastructure and capable business community would add value to the Contact Group discussions. DCM also conveyed the draft agenda for the April 29 conference call, the minutes of the April 22 call, the discussion points on reconstruction and a donors' conference, as well as the call in information. ¶3. (C) A/USEC Al-Nuaimi underscored the UAEG commitment to contributing to Contact Group discussions, noting that Shaykh Hamdan had chaired a ministerial meeting April 26 at which the Cabinet had approved participation. He said that the government was still determining who would represent the UAE in the Contact Group, but indicated that the UAE would need more than one participant because of its federal structure and the role that Dubai stood to play in Iraq reconstruction. He suggested Dubai Ports and Customs Authority Executive Chairman Sultan bin Sulayim as a likely participant. On April 28, MFA MINSTATE Hamdan bin Zayed called the Ambassador to confirm that three UAE officials would participate in the April 29 teleconference: Abdullah Rashed Al- Nuaimi, Finance MINSTATE Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash and Sultan bin Sulayim. The three will gather in Dr. Khirbash's office to participate in the call. WAHBA