Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ABUDHABI4946
2005-12-07 12:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

ABU DHABI CROWN PRINCE PUBLICLY DENOUNCES TERROR

Tags:  PTER KISL PREL KPAO AE 
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Diana T Fritz 08/27/2006 05:09:56 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results

Cable 
Text: 
 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 04946

SIPDIS
CXABU:
 ACTION: POL
 INFO: PAO LEGAT RSO AMB DCM MEPI DAO P/M ECON

DISSEMINATION: POL
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: DCM:MRQUINN
DRAFTED: POL:JFMAYBURY
CLEARED: CG:JDAVIS

VZCZCADI140
PP RUEHC RUEHEE RUEHDE RHMFISS RHEHNSC
DE RUEHAD #4946/01 3411226
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 071226Z DEC 05
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2652
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 5614
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 004946 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/PD AND NEA/ARPI
STATE ALSO FOR S/CT AND IIP COORDINATOR ALEX FELDMAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2010
TAGS: PTER KISL PREL KPAO AE
SUBJECT: ABU DHABI CROWN PRINCE PUBLICLY DENOUNCES TERROR

REF: A. ABU DHABI 4919 (NOTAL)


B. ABU DHABI 4905 (NOTAL)

C. DUBAI 5906 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Martin R. Quinn, reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 004946

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/PD AND NEA/ARPI
STATE ALSO FOR S/CT AND IIP COORDINATOR ALEX FELDMAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2010
TAGS: PTER KISL PREL KPAO AE
SUBJECT: ABU DHABI CROWN PRINCE PUBLICLY DENOUNCES TERROR

REF: A. ABU DHABI 4919 (NOTAL)


B. ABU DHABI 4905 (NOTAL)

C. DUBAI 5906 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Martin R. Quinn, reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin
Zayed (MbZ) used a speech at the inauguration of the Abu
Dhabi National Consultative Council December 6 to publicly
denounce terrorists as disloyal towards their fellow
citizens. MbZ's strongly worded message follows his equally
powerful statement to Al Arabiya television on November 16 in
response to the November 9 Amman terrorist bombings in which
he said called upon Muslim scholars and imams to take a stand
against terrorism. The statement also comes a little less
than a week after President Khalifa's announcement of coming
political reforms, including a limited indirect election of
half the members of the Federal National Council. That
announcement, like MbZ's harsh message for terrorists, is
what triggers speculation within academic circles about
whether UAE nationals with Islamist tendencies would be
allowed to participate in the new era of political openness
(see reftels). President Khalifa also announced the
establishment of a National Security Council. End Summary.


2. (U) Speaking before the Abu Dhabi National Consultative
Council December 6, MbZ declared, "We have a deep belief that
the top-most priority is total allegiance to the nation and
nothing else. A citizen has rights which the country
provides and guarantees. But in return the pillar of
citizenship is the absolute and full loyalty to their country
and its leadership." MbZ continued, "Today there is no room
for multi-affiliations or having people who enjoy the
privileges of citizenship whilst their affiliations are
outside the country's borders. The interest of the country
is non-negotiable. We will not tolerate any deviation from
this principle."


3. (U) MbZ said that terrorists have no loyalty toward their
fellow citizens. "I would say the problem with terrorists is
that they have sold their conscience to people outside their
countries, which we strongly reject in the UAE," he said. He
went on to urge all UAE residents to be vigilant against
efforts that might destabilize the country. MbZ said
eradicating terrorism in all forms, including money
laundering, is a national priority "because it guarantees
stability and progress we enjoy and strive to expand for the
betterment of our country and the generations to come."


4. (U) The statement before the National Consultative Council
follows an equally strong statement MbZ made during an
interview for Al Arabiya television November 16 in response
to the November 9 Amman bombings. MbZ told Al Arabiya that
Muslim scholars and imams "who live among us" should adopt a
unified stand against terrorism. He said if the sheikhs and
imams do not denounce terrorists as infidels, "the least they
can do is drive them out of the faith." He said he blamed
the scholars and imams who, by not denouncing terrorists,
were allowing terrorist acts to continue. "If there is no
sincere stand against such irreligious and inhumane acts,
they will flourish." MbZ added that terrorism "entered our
lives in the name of Islam." It is up to Muslims to "face it
and resist it."


5. (U) MbZ asked rhetorically, which mind, and which logic,
would explain the killing of a child, a woman, or an elderly
person at a party (referring to the wedding celebration in an
Amman hotel). He concluded his statement by saying that what
happened in Jordan as a result of a terrorist act "has been
hurtful to us in the UAE, as if it happened here."


6. (C) Comment: MbZ has told USG interlocutors of his zero
tolerance for terrorists. His anti-terror statements to the
National Consultative Council and to Al Arabiya not only
demonstrates that MbZ has no qualms about publicly declaring
his intolerance for terrorists, but also his displeasure with
religious leaders who may actually be encouraging extremism
by not speaking out against terrorists. It will be
interesting to see what effect these public messages
ratcheting up the anti-terror rhetoric have on UAE nationals,
who learned a week earlier that the leadership was ready to
broaden political participation. For some, MbZ's speech may
have struck a dissonant chord because it contradicts the
principle of freedom of participation. As reported in ref C,
as the indirect election process gets under way, authorities
in at least two of the emirates )- and probably all of them
-- will be vetting all proposed names closely for possible
Islamist connections.
SISON