UAEG ASSURES HIGH-LEVEL PARTICIPATION FOR UN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002858 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA, PRM/ANE, IO/UNP, AND EB FOR A/S E. ANTHONY WAYNE KUWAIT FOR ORHA E.O. 12958: DECL 06/14/08 TAGS: EAID EFIN PREL IZ TC SUBJECT: UAEG ASSURES HIGH-LEVEL PARTICIPATION FOR UN HOSTED CONSULTATIONS ON IRAQ'S RECONSTRUCTION REF: STATE 163448 ¶1. (U) Classified by Acting DCM Thomas E. Williams, for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). ¶2. (U) This is an action request; please see paragraph 4. ¶3. (C) Acting DCM raised reftel points 6/14 with UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs Assistant Undersecretary for Political Affairs Abdullah Rashid Al-Nuami, who confirmed that he would attend the June 24 United Nations technical consultations along with UAE Ministry of Finance Assistant Undersecretary for Revenue and Budget Khalid Al-Bustani. Other UAE officials may also be planning to attend; we will inform Washington agencies of the full delegation ASAP. ¶4. (C) Comment and action request: As a member of the informal working group on Iraq's reconstruction, the UAEG is strongly committed to Iraq's economic recovery and is looking to play a useful role. Al-Nuami would appreciate the opportunity to meet appropriate U.S. officials on the sidelines of the United Nations meetings, including Undersecretary Alan Larson and DoD Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim, to further discuss UAE financial and humanitarian support to Baghdad, as well as broader Iraq political and security issues. Al- Nuami indicated that he might be interested in a short side-trip to Washington should bilaterals not be convenient on the margins of the U.N. conference. If so, we suggest that Al-Nuami also meet with new NEA Deputy Assistant Secretary Philo Dibble. End comment and action request. Wahba