SUBJECT: UAE UPSET OVER PUBLICITY OF COOPERATION WITH U.S. MILITARY IN PAKISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002158



SIPDIS



E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2015

TAGS: PTER, AF, PK, TC

SUBJECT: SUBJECT: UAE UPSET OVER PUBLICITY OF COOPERATION

WITH U.S. MILITARY IN PAKISTAN



Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons

1.4 (b) and (d).



1. (C) Ahmed Al Musally, Director of the Asian and African

Affairs Department at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

expressed his displeasure to the DCM on May 11th that some

details of the UAE's cooperation with the U.S. military in

Pakistan have become public. Specifically, he complained

that retired General Tommy Franks, former Commander of U.S.

Central Command, mentioned in his book, "American Soldier"

that U.S. forces had made use of Sheikh Zayed's private

airstrip in Balochistan, Pakistan. Al Musally said that this

"leak" was brought to his attention by the UAE Ambassador in

Pakistan, who sent him a 27 April article from the Pakistan

daily, "The Nation." The article criticizes the Pakistani

Government for keeping secrets, and it applauds General

Frank's openness in his book about the cooperation between

Pakistan, the U.S., and other allies.



2. (C) In his meeting with the DCM, Al Musally explained that

the UAEG desires to keep details of the UAE cooperation with

the U.S. military in Afghanistan and Pakistan confidential,

because the Government is concerned that public

acknowledgement of this assistance could pose risks to the

UAE security within the UAE or to UAE officials in Pakistan.

He noted that there are 500,000 to 600,000 Pakistanis

residing in the UAE and that members of the UAE's ruling

families frequently visit Pakistan for hunting. "Maybe they

can't do anything here, but they might try there (ie:

Pakistan),especially when our leaders travel there." (Note:

UAE Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of

the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, and Deputy

Prime Minister and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs,

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed were in Pakistan last week for

bilateral meetings with Pakistani President Musharaf. End

note.)



3. (SBU) Ambassador met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Undersecretary Abdullah Rashid Al Noaimi on May 14th and

assured him that the Embassy would relay the UAEG's concerns

regarding this matter to Washington.

SISON