IRAQI ENVOY TO UAE RECALLED

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 003582 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/IRAQ, AND INR/B E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2014 TAGS: PINR PREL IZ TC SUBJECT: IRAQI ENVOY TO UAE RECALLED (U) Classified by Ambassador Michele J. Sison, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Iraq's Ambassador to the UAE, Kussay Mahdi Salih, is returning to Baghdad on October 3 after being recalled by his Foreign Ministry just one year into his assignment. Salih told Polchief during a farewell call at the Iraqi Embassy on October 2 that he believes Iran is purposely stirring up trouble in Iraq to keep the U.S. from turning its attention toward Tehran. He urged Coalition forces to withdraw to the outskirts of Iraqi cities where they would be less likely to provoke people's anger. The Iraqi envoy, who has not been told what his next assignment will be, said that his replacement is a brother of Iraqi President Ghazi Yawar, although he did not know the brother's name or his arrival date in Abu Dhabi. ¶2. (C) Iraqi Ambassador Kussay Salih expressed some fear about retuning to what he described as a deteriorating security situation, and said he is considering retiring after more than 40 years in the diplomatic corps. He added that he feels personally threatened. "Someone has already thrown a grenade into our home in Baghdad," he said. "I am afraid of what might happen to my family if I took them to Iraq with me." The UAEG has granted permission to his wife and three daughters to continue residing in the UAE after he leaves. Salih produced a copy of a letter signed by CPA Administrator Paul Bremer thanking him for his leadership and service to the MFA and Iraq as a member of an MFA Steering Committee. The letter, dated Sept. 4, 2003, states: "The role that you performed over the past several months was an important one, and whatever the future may hold for you personally, history will remember your contribution." Salih said he fears photocopies of the letter may have gotten into the wrong hands and that he is now marked for having cooperated with the Coalition powers. SISON