SHAYKH ZAYID BESTOWS THE EMIRATES'

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 003039 SIPDIS CENTCOM FOR POLAD AMB LITT AND CCJ2 NSC FOR THEROUX DOD FOR OSD/ISA/NESA STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/NGA AND PM/RSAT E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/13 TAGS: PREL PGOV PARM MOPS GCC IZ TC SUBJECT: SHAYKH ZAYID BESTOWS THE EMIRATES' MILITARY ORDER ON CENTCOM COMMANDER GENERAL FRANKS ¶1. (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). ¶2. (SBU) UAE President Shaykh Zayid bin Sultan Al- Nahyan conferred upon CENTCOM Commander General Tommy R. Franks the Emirates Military Order of First Class in a meeting on June 24 at Al-Bahr Palace in Abu Dhabi. General Franks is the first U.S. official Shaykh Zayid has met with since the March 2002 visit of Vice President Cheney. The indomitable Zayid was in fine form with General Franks, drawing upon his core religious values and fundamental life philosophies in a brief but very warm discussion. Zayid looked hale and hearty; many of his 19 sons, including Chief of Staff Muhammad, MFA Minstate Hamdan, InfoMin Abdullah and Deputy Prime Minister Sultan, were in attendance. General Franks was joined by Ambassador Wahba, Ambassador Litt, and an accompanying delegation from Franks' staff and the Embassy. ¶3. (C) General Franks thanked Shaykh Zayid for the UAE's generous humanitarian contributions to both Afghanistan and Iraq. He praised Zayid's leadership in developing the UAE into a model to be emulated in the region, noting that while Zayid used the last 30 years to build his country, others had spent that time destroying their countries. Zayid spoke with pride about the UAE's progress, noting that 30 years ago, the government had to bring in tens of thousands of foreigners to teach Emirati children. With the literacy rate now at over 90 percent, Emiratis themselves are taking up the teaching profession. ¶4. (C) Referring to the May 12 terror bombings in Riyadh, Zayid denounced those who called themselves Muslims but engaged in abominable acts. As Zayid put it, these "brutal beasts" do not represent Islam and should be cast out of the faith. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: This largely ceremonial meeting was a testament to the great admiration and respect felt for General Franks and the U.S. by Shaykh Zayid and the senior Emirati leadership. END COMMENT. WAHBA