Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI5132
2003-12-01 12:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAEG, Iraqi expats, welcome visiting Iraq
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 03/20/2007 03:40:48 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: CONFIDENTIAL SIPDIS TELEGRAM December 01, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 5132 - ROUTINE) TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KPAO Captions: None Subject: UAEG, IRAQI EXPATS, WELCOME VISITING IRAQ GOVERNING COUNCIL DELEGATION Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 05132 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: POL INFO: RSO AMB DCM P/M PAO ECON Laser1: INFO: PAO DISSEMINATION: POL CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: CDA:RAALBRIGHT DRAFTED: POL:JFMAYBURY CLEARED: NONE VZCZCADI218 RR RUEHC RHMFISS RUCNRAQ RHEHNSC RUEAIIA RHEFDIA RUEKJCS RUEKJCS RUCJACC DE RUEHAD #5132 3351223 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 011223Z DEC 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2550 INFO RHMFISS/HQ COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTH BAGHDAD RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J2/UNMA// RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//OSD/NESA// RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2//
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 005132
SIPDIS
STATE ALSO FOR NEA/NGA, NEA/PD AND NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/13
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL IZ TC
SUBJECT: UAEG, Iraqi expats, welcome visiting Iraq
Governing Council delegation
Ref: Abu Dhabi 4835
(U) Classified by Richard A. Albright, Charge d'Affaires,
a.i., for Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 005132
SIPDIS
STATE ALSO FOR NEA/NGA, NEA/PD AND NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/13
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL IZ TC
SUBJECT: UAEG, Iraqi expats, welcome visiting Iraq
Governing Council delegation
Ref: Abu Dhabi 4835
(U) Classified by Richard A. Albright, Charge d'Affaires,
a.i., for Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D).
1. (U) The UAE leadership once again put out the welcome
mat for members of the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) during
their visit to Abu Dhabi last week. President Shaykh Zayed
told the delegation November 26 that the UAE would always
support the Iraqi people and called on Iraqis to work
together to overcome their hardships. According to the
government's official news agency, Shaykh Zayed told the
delegation that he had advised the United States to treat
the Iraqis gently and strive to hand over power to them as
soon as possible.
2. (C) Two days earlier, on November 24, approximately 300
members of the Iraqi expatriate community in the UAE had
met with IGC members Ibrahim Al Jaafari and Adnan Pachachi
to learn about latest trends in Iraq and to discuss their
concerns. The meeting, which two Iraqi liaison office
staff had also attended, was in stark contrast to meetings
Iraqi expats had had with Saddam's representatives in
recent years -- if they even bothered to go.
3. (C) Polchief and senior PAO FSN met November 29 with two
Iraqi expats who are regular contacts of ours (see reftel)
to get a readout of the meeting with Al Jaafari. Dr. Ala'a
Al-Tamimi, a former senior official in the Iraqi Ministry
of Industry, and Dr. Niazi Sadiq, a surgeon, told us that
they were very favorably impressed with Al Jaafari's
leadership and intellectual abilities. "We're proud that
he is representing the Iraqi people. The Baathists were
ignorant and ill-tempered," Ala'a said. Members of the
audience could ask questions and identified themselves
without fear. Al Jaafari told the audience that there
remained some security problems in Iraq, but people were
free to speak their minds. When a member of the audience
criticized some members of the Iraqi liaison office staff
of being Baathists and supporters of Saddam, Al Jaafari
urged his listeners to be patient with those who are
Baathists, but who have not committed any crimes. However,
if they are Baathists and are criminals, "we'll deal with
them."
4. (C) The expats told us that the Baathists outside of
Iraq, including Saddam's former Information Minister
Sahhaf, who regularly appears on Abu Dhabi Television, are
well-financed and organized, and have access to the media.
Ala'a and Niazi said Baathists go as far as saying that
"Saddam was bad, but the U.S. is worse" in a bid to win
sympathy and encourage resistance to the Coalition. Non-
Baathists are increasingly trying to counter the influence
of Baathists by trying to persuade the Arabic language
press to cease reporting only negative and anti-American
articles and editorials. Ala'a and Niazi said they hope
the CPA will be able to assist with starting up an Iraqi
satellite television station that will provide objective
broadcasts both inside and outside Iraq.
ALBRIGHT
SIPDIS
STATE ALSO FOR NEA/NGA, NEA/PD AND NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/13
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL IZ TC
SUBJECT: UAEG, Iraqi expats, welcome visiting Iraq
Governing Council delegation
Ref: Abu Dhabi 4835
(U) Classified by Richard A. Albright, Charge d'Affaires,
a.i., for Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D).
1. (U) The UAE leadership once again put out the welcome
mat for members of the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) during
their visit to Abu Dhabi last week. President Shaykh Zayed
told the delegation November 26 that the UAE would always
support the Iraqi people and called on Iraqis to work
together to overcome their hardships. According to the
government's official news agency, Shaykh Zayed told the
delegation that he had advised the United States to treat
the Iraqis gently and strive to hand over power to them as
soon as possible.
2. (C) Two days earlier, on November 24, approximately 300
members of the Iraqi expatriate community in the UAE had
met with IGC members Ibrahim Al Jaafari and Adnan Pachachi
to learn about latest trends in Iraq and to discuss their
concerns. The meeting, which two Iraqi liaison office
staff had also attended, was in stark contrast to meetings
Iraqi expats had had with Saddam's representatives in
recent years -- if they even bothered to go.
3. (C) Polchief and senior PAO FSN met November 29 with two
Iraqi expats who are regular contacts of ours (see reftel)
to get a readout of the meeting with Al Jaafari. Dr. Ala'a
Al-Tamimi, a former senior official in the Iraqi Ministry
of Industry, and Dr. Niazi Sadiq, a surgeon, told us that
they were very favorably impressed with Al Jaafari's
leadership and intellectual abilities. "We're proud that
he is representing the Iraqi people. The Baathists were
ignorant and ill-tempered," Ala'a said. Members of the
audience could ask questions and identified themselves
without fear. Al Jaafari told the audience that there
remained some security problems in Iraq, but people were
free to speak their minds. When a member of the audience
criticized some members of the Iraqi liaison office staff
of being Baathists and supporters of Saddam, Al Jaafari
urged his listeners to be patient with those who are
Baathists, but who have not committed any crimes. However,
if they are Baathists and are criminals, "we'll deal with
them."
4. (C) The expats told us that the Baathists outside of
Iraq, including Saddam's former Information Minister
Sahhaf, who regularly appears on Abu Dhabi Television, are
well-financed and organized, and have access to the media.
Ala'a and Niazi said Baathists go as far as saying that
"Saddam was bad, but the U.S. is worse" in a bid to win
sympathy and encourage resistance to the Coalition. Non-
Baathists are increasingly trying to counter the influence
of Baathists by trying to persuade the Arabic language
press to cease reporting only negative and anti-American
articles and editorials. Ala'a and Niazi said they hope
the CPA will be able to assist with starting up an Iraqi
satellite television station that will provide objective
broadcasts both inside and outside Iraq.
ALBRIGHT