SYRIAN DEPUTY FM MOALLEM VISIT TO UAE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 004548

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2015
TAGS: PREL SY AE
SUBJECT: SYRIAN DEPUTY FM MOALLEM VISIT TO UAE

REF: A. ABU DHABI 3272


B. ABU DHABI 3700

C. ABU DHABI 4540

D. ABU DHABI 3801

E. ABU DHABI 3615

Classified By: DCM Martin R. Quinn for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Walid Moallem
visited Abu Dhabi October 31 for meetings with President
Khalifa and Information Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al
Nahyan. Sheikh Abdullah told Ambassador that Moallem "had
nothing new to offer" and that he had declined the invitation
to visit Damascus again. Private comment by UAEG senior
leaders, as distinct from UAE media, may indicate a cooling
in the UAE-Syria relationship. End Summary.


2. (C) Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Walid Moallem visited
Abu Dhabi October 31 to seek UAEG support for the embattled
Syrian regime. Moallem met one-on-one with President Khalifa
bin Zayed Al Nahyan to seek UAE support for Damascus as it
faces further scrutiny over its role in the assassination of
former Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri. Moallem assured
Khalifa of Syria's willingness to cooperate with the Mehlis
inquiry into Hariri's assassination, while underscoring the
dangers of destabilizing Syria. Moallem told the press that
he was upset that the United Nations Security Council had
adopted Resolution 1636 on October 31, saying that "It is an
unhappy time for me and for my country."

UAE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TURNS MORE NEGATIVE ON SYRIA
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3. (C) The UAE leadership has refrained from criticizing
President Bashar al-Asad publicly in the past, preferring
quieter consultations with other Arab League states and
directly with Damascus. UAE Information Minister Sheikh
Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (AbZ) visited Asad in Damascus
July 31 (ref A, B) and told Ambassador November 6 that he
also met one-on-one with Walid Moallem, who "had nothing new
to offer." AbZ said that Moallem invited him to return to
Damascus and that he responded firmly in the negative.

UAE PRESS COVERAGE OF SYRIA
--------------


4. (U) Syria is learning to play the PR game, with local
press carrying extensive statements by Syria's Ambassador to
the UAE, Riyadh Nassan Agha. Agha said that Syria was
explaining to the leaders of other Arab countries that any
conflict in the region is not in the interest of Syria,
Arabs, and the Muslim nations. He thanked the UAE and other
GCC states for their support for Syria and said the situation
was "very critical and we need the support of all Arabs."
Agha further said that the UN resolution's reference to
Chapter 7, which allows the use of force, was "horrible" and
"illogical." The UNSC is "talking about the use of force
while the investigation into Hariri's death has not finished
yet." Agha said that Syria has decided to cooperate with the
UN and the international community "to prove its innocence in
the assassination" of Hariri. He emphasized Syria's desire
to cooperate with the Mehlis Committee and said that the
Syrian President has ordered the creation of a special legal
committee to help Mehlis and the international commission
investigate the assassination. Agha also underscored the
dangers of destabilizing Syria. The Arab media and others
should know that "whatever affects Syria will not harm us
alone, but the entire Arab region will plunge into chaos."


5. (U) Just prior to Moallem's visit, semi-official Arabic
daily Al-Ittihad (October 30) lauded the Syrian decision to
form a special committee to investigate Hariri's murder,
editorializing that since the Syrian president gave the
investigating committee authority to question both civilians
and military, the gesture "reflects Syria's real desire to
get to the truth." The editorial further expressed concern
that extreme pressure on Syria (like that directed against
Iraq) will add to regional tension and instability, spawning
a new crisis.


6. (C) COMMENT: If Syria was looking for a public statement
of support from the UAEG as a result of the Moallem visit, it
is probably not going to get it. Over the past few weeks we
have detected a cooling in the UAE-Syria relationship, at
least at the senior leadership level. There have been some
recent signs. During October 11 telcon with NEA A/S David
Welch, AbZ enthused that it was time for Bashar "to feel the
heat." Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed
(MbZ) told us (during October 18 visit of Ambassador
Khalilzad) that the Syrian president was untrustworthy and
had the "same mentality as the old guard" in Syria. MbZ also
opined that "Syria is a country that needs a major change"
(ref C). However, the next level down of MFA officials,
non-decision-makers like U/S Abdullah Rashid Al Noaimi and
one former UAE ambassador to Damascus (Asst U/S Tariq Al
Haidan) have tended toward a softer approach (ref D, E),more
aligned with local media and popular opinion. END COMMENT.
SISON