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