UAEG RE-DRAWS ITS BORDER WITH SAUDI ARABIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000191

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, INR/NESA, L, INR/G

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2021
TAGS: PREL PBTS EPET PGOV ETRD ECON SA AE
SUBJECT: UAEG RE-DRAWS ITS BORDER WITH SAUDI ARABIA

REF: 05 ABU DHABI 3851

Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) & (D)


1. (U) Ratcheting up its public stance on the border issue,
the UAEG,s 2006 Yearbook includes a map of the UAE with
re-drawn borders with Saudi Arabia. In a departure from
earlier yearbooks, the map (both hard copy and internet
version) shows the UAE's territory extending to Qatar. The
book devotes two paragraphs dealing with the territorial
dispute with Saudi Arabia, noting that this was the first
time that the UAE had publicly stated its 30 year position
that the 1974 "provisional agreement signed between the two
but not formally ratified" should be reviewed. The Yearbook
quotes UAE MinState for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan bin
Zayed as saying, after a June 2005 visit by the Saudi
Interior Minster, that "a brotherly, frank and transparent
dialogue on certain boundary issues" had taken place, and
that "the UAE said that some parts of the 1974 boundary
agreement can no longer be implemented. The UAE, therefore
presented fundamental amendments to these parts of the
agreement. The UAE's stance in this respect is not new since
the UAE has been expressing the same position since 1975.8


2. (U) The yearbook notes that a negotiated solution to the
issue, which concerns mainly the southern border close to the
UAE's Zarrara oilfield (Saudi Arabia's Shaybah field) and the
Khor Al-Odaid area (the strip of land that would connect the
UAE to Qatar),is being actively sought. Press reports say
that the new map also includes changes to the UAE,s southern
border encompassing most of the al-Shaybah oil field, but the
map is not detailed enough for Econoffs to determine whether
the al-Shaybah field is actually shown in UAE territory. The
oilfield currently produces 550,000 barrels a day of light
crude oil exclusively for Saudi Aramco.


3. (C) Comment: Although the border dispute with the Saudis
has been ongoing for years, the re-drawing of the map is a
bold, overt statement and a marked departure from the UAE's
usual tendency to avoid confrontational public statements.
We understand that the negotiations with the Saudis have not
been progressing well from the Emiratis' point of view, and
this public airing may be their way of acknowledging their
frustration -) similar to the way they have publicly
complained about the Iranian occupation of Abu Musa and the
Tunb islands. On January 10, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al
Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, told Ambassador that border
discussions with the Saudis were going &well.8 He then
said &of course, in our culture, when someone is sick we say
things are going well up until the day the person dies.8 So
far, the Saudi response to this public airing of the dispute
appears to have been muted. Ministry of Information Advisor,
Peter Hellyer (protect) told Econchief that the Saudis had
requested copies of the new maps, but that this was the only
reaction that he was aware of. End comment.
SISON