Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ABUDHABI4305
2005-10-12 14:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
IRAQ'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM -- VIEWS FROM UAE
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 08/28/2006 11:30:27 AM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 04305 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: POL INFO: PAO DCM MEPI P/M ECON RSO AMB DISSEMINATION: POL CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: CDA:MRQUINN DRAFTED: POL:JFMAYBURY CLEARED: NONE VZCZCADI907 RR RUEHC RUCNRAQ RUEHDE DE RUEHAD #4305 2851431 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 121431Z OCT 05 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1985 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 5493
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 004305
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/I AND NEA/I, NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ TC
SUBJECT: IRAQ'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM -- VIEWS FROM UAE
AND FROM AN IRAQI DIPLOMAT
REF: A. ABU DHABI 4261
B. ABU DHABI 4200
Classified By: MARTIN R. QUINN, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, A.I., REASONS 1.4 (B
) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 004305
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/I AND NEA/I, NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ TC
SUBJECT: IRAQ'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM -- VIEWS FROM UAE
AND FROM AN IRAQI DIPLOMAT
REF: A. ABU DHABI 4261
B. ABU DHABI 4200
Classified By: MARTIN R. QUINN, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, A.I., REASONS 1.4 (B
) AND (D).
1. (C) Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed (HbZ) confirmed to
Charge October 11 that he had positive meetings with Iraqi
parliament speaker Hajim al-Hassani, Sunni Waqf (Endowment)
leader Ahmed al-Ghaffour al-Samarrai, and former Sunni Waqf
leader Adnan al-Dulaimi in Abu Dhabi last week. As HbZ
promised October 2 when he met with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq
Zalmay Khalilzad (refs A, B),the UAE leadership was working
to get "responsible people to work together" on the political
process in Iraq. These efforts are to "ensure that the Iraqi
Government does not fall under Iranian domination," he told
Charge. HbZ said it was clear to him that the present
government in Iraq was more pro-Iranian than pro-Iraqi. To
prove his point, he cited the fact that the response to Saudi
Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal's remarks about Iranian
interference in Iraq came from Iraq's Interior Minister (a
Shi'a),rather than from Iran. Fear of Iraq falling under
Iranian influence is a concern UAE officials have regularly
expressed.
2. (C) There were several other Iraq-related items that came
to the Embassy's attention in the run-up to the
constitutional referendum on October 15:
-- The Dubai-based Gulf Research Center, a think tank headed
by Saudi millionaire Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, has posted an
opinion poll on its web site that asks readers if they
believe the Iraqi draft constitution will be approved by the
majority of the Iraqi people. As of this writing, the
results show 71.4% saying no, 18.4% yes, and 10.2% maybe.
The poll, which first appeared a week ago and includes
responses from approximately 100 readers, reflects the views
of academics and research institutions, GRC researcher Dr.
Mustafa Alani told Pol Chief. Alani, a Sunni Arab born in
Baghdad, called the draft constitution a "very dangerous
document that will have an impact not only on Iraq but on the
region." He warned that federalism will divide -) and
eventually destroy )- Iraq. "Academics understand the
constitution,s contents and believe it is not an acceptable
document," he added.
-- Based on a ruling by the Iraqi Government, the
50,000-60,000 Iraqis who reside in the UAE will not be
allowed to vote in the referendum. They will, however, be
allowed to vote for 45 of the 275 seats in the parliament
during the December 15 elections.
-- The Iraqi Embassy in Abu Dhabi does not have an official
copy of the draft constitution on its premises. Iraqi
diplomats have been able to consult the draft online, however.
-- The Iraqi MFA does not inform the Iraqi Embassy in Abu
Dhabi in advance of visits by prominent Iraqis, such as
parliament speaker al-Hassani, and current and former Sunni
Waqf leaders al-Samarrai and al-Dulaimi. "We read about it
in the newspaper after they have left town," complained
Counselor Mustafa Aboud, the Embassy's No. 2, who spoke with
Pol Chief October 12. (Note: When S/I Ambassador Jeffrey was
in Abu Dhabi October 8, we inquired with the Iraqi Embassy
about possible meetings with prominent visiting Iraqis. The
Iraqi Embassy was not aware of the visits. End note.)
Aboud, a Sunni Arab from al-Dawr ("I'm from where Saddam was
captured") who joined the Iraqi foreign service 30 years ago,
said it was difficult to predict which way the constitutional
referendum would go. He expressed the hope that the
different Iraqi political groups would find a way to
reconcile and bring back stability to the country. He said
the U.S. could do two things to ameliorate the situation in
Iraq: (1) urge influential Sunnis to dialogue with the Iraqi
Government, and (2) help Sunnis forced by the U.S.-led
coalition to leave their civil service or military jobs after
the fall of Saddam's regime to return to gainful employment.
These measures would "close the gap" between the ruling group
and the Sunnis, he said, and serve to isolate Zarqawi, "a man
who has no place in Iraq."
QUINN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/I AND NEA/I, NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ TC
SUBJECT: IRAQ'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM -- VIEWS FROM UAE
AND FROM AN IRAQI DIPLOMAT
REF: A. ABU DHABI 4261
B. ABU DHABI 4200
Classified By: MARTIN R. QUINN, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, A.I., REASONS 1.4 (B
) AND (D).
1. (C) Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed (HbZ) confirmed to
Charge October 11 that he had positive meetings with Iraqi
parliament speaker Hajim al-Hassani, Sunni Waqf (Endowment)
leader Ahmed al-Ghaffour al-Samarrai, and former Sunni Waqf
leader Adnan al-Dulaimi in Abu Dhabi last week. As HbZ
promised October 2 when he met with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq
Zalmay Khalilzad (refs A, B),the UAE leadership was working
to get "responsible people to work together" on the political
process in Iraq. These efforts are to "ensure that the Iraqi
Government does not fall under Iranian domination," he told
Charge. HbZ said it was clear to him that the present
government in Iraq was more pro-Iranian than pro-Iraqi. To
prove his point, he cited the fact that the response to Saudi
Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal's remarks about Iranian
interference in Iraq came from Iraq's Interior Minister (a
Shi'a),rather than from Iran. Fear of Iraq falling under
Iranian influence is a concern UAE officials have regularly
expressed.
2. (C) There were several other Iraq-related items that came
to the Embassy's attention in the run-up to the
constitutional referendum on October 15:
-- The Dubai-based Gulf Research Center, a think tank headed
by Saudi millionaire Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, has posted an
opinion poll on its web site that asks readers if they
believe the Iraqi draft constitution will be approved by the
majority of the Iraqi people. As of this writing, the
results show 71.4% saying no, 18.4% yes, and 10.2% maybe.
The poll, which first appeared a week ago and includes
responses from approximately 100 readers, reflects the views
of academics and research institutions, GRC researcher Dr.
Mustafa Alani told Pol Chief. Alani, a Sunni Arab born in
Baghdad, called the draft constitution a "very dangerous
document that will have an impact not only on Iraq but on the
region." He warned that federalism will divide -) and
eventually destroy )- Iraq. "Academics understand the
constitution,s contents and believe it is not an acceptable
document," he added.
-- Based on a ruling by the Iraqi Government, the
50,000-60,000 Iraqis who reside in the UAE will not be
allowed to vote in the referendum. They will, however, be
allowed to vote for 45 of the 275 seats in the parliament
during the December 15 elections.
-- The Iraqi Embassy in Abu Dhabi does not have an official
copy of the draft constitution on its premises. Iraqi
diplomats have been able to consult the draft online, however.
-- The Iraqi MFA does not inform the Iraqi Embassy in Abu
Dhabi in advance of visits by prominent Iraqis, such as
parliament speaker al-Hassani, and current and former Sunni
Waqf leaders al-Samarrai and al-Dulaimi. "We read about it
in the newspaper after they have left town," complained
Counselor Mustafa Aboud, the Embassy's No. 2, who spoke with
Pol Chief October 12. (Note: When S/I Ambassador Jeffrey was
in Abu Dhabi October 8, we inquired with the Iraqi Embassy
about possible meetings with prominent visiting Iraqis. The
Iraqi Embassy was not aware of the visits. End note.)
Aboud, a Sunni Arab from al-Dawr ("I'm from where Saddam was
captured") who joined the Iraqi foreign service 30 years ago,
said it was difficult to predict which way the constitutional
referendum would go. He expressed the hope that the
different Iraqi political groups would find a way to
reconcile and bring back stability to the country. He said
the U.S. could do two things to ameliorate the situation in
Iraq: (1) urge influential Sunnis to dialogue with the Iraqi
Government, and (2) help Sunnis forced by the U.S.-led
coalition to leave their civil service or military jobs after
the fall of Saddam's regime to return to gainful employment.
These measures would "close the gap" between the ruling group
and the Sunnis, he said, and serve to isolate Zarqawi, "a man
who has no place in Iraq."
QUINN