ORAL MESSAGE FROM SECRETARY POWELL TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 003618 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/NGA AND INR/NESA E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/03/13 TAGS: PREL KPAL IZ AL TC SUBJECT: ORAL MESSAGE FROM SECRETARY POWELL TO ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS REF: State 224109 ¶1. (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba, Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). ¶2. (C) The Ambassador used the opportunity of an August 4 telcon with de facto Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayid Al-Nahyan, who is out of the country, to deliver a brief summary of the Secretary's oral message related to Iraq and the Roadmap to Arab League Foreign Ministers (see reftel). ¶3. (C) Sh. Hamdan said the UAEG is doing everything possible to support the situation in Iraq, as well as to support the Iraqi Governing Council (GC) and the Coalition. He told the Ambassador that the international community should realize that there is no alternative to the current process in Iraq, but that there is a real need to work together to ensure a successful transition of power in Iraq. The Ambassador urged the UAEG to back the current process, saying it would be helpful for public opinion if there were a public expression of UAEG support for the GC. Sh. Hamdan concurred, but added that such a public statement from the UAEG in support of the process would also convey the importance of moving as rapidly as possible to form a permanent form of government. He asked the Ambassador if the US would have any problem with that approach. The Ambassador told Sh. Hamdan that reference to a careful transition to a permanent government in Iraq, coupled with a public recognition of the GC's interim role, would be a balanced statement. Sh. Hamdan requested that the Embassy send the Secretary's talking points to the MFA to allow his government to consult about issuing a public statement. The points were delivered before COB Monday. WAHBA