VISIT BY COUNCIL ON AMERICAN ISLAMIC RELATIONS

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002127

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD; INFO NEA/FO, R

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KISL SOCI PHUM PGOV KDEM AE
SUBJECT: VISIT BY COUNCIL ON AMERICAN ISLAMIC RELATIONS
(CAIR) TO UAE


1. (U) On May 21, the Council on American Islamic Relations
(CAIR) paid a courtesy call on the Ambassador to discuss the
organization's issues, outreach strategies, and its visit to
the UAE. The UAE press has reported that Sheikh Hamdan bin
Rashid al-Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of
Finance and Industry, "has endorsed a proposal to build a
property in the U.S. to serve as an endowment for CAIR."
DCM, PAO and MEPI Regional Director also participated in the
meeting.


2. (U) The group expressed ideas about countering negative
stereotypes about Muslims in the U.S. ("Islamophobia") and
addressing anti-Americanism in the Middle East. They
mentioned previous meetings with State Department officials,
U/S Karen Hughes and A/S David Welch, their attendance at the
Secretary's Iftar, and spoke of a possible meeting with

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President Bush in the future.


3. (U) Mr. Don Myers, representing Washington, D.C. public
relations firm Hill & Knowlton, provided a short
demonstration of a PR campaign designed to support CAIR's
overall organizational objectives defined as: 1) political
empowerment of Muslims, 2) grassroots effort by CAIR to
improve community relations with non-Muslims, 3) launching of
an effective, long-term (5 year) advertising/outreach
campaign to counter negative stereotypes about Muslims.


4. (U) Members of the CAIR delegation included: Hon. Larry
Shaw, Senator (North Carolina General Assembly); Hon. Paul
Findley, Former U.S. Representative; Don Myers, Washington,
D.C. public relations firm Hill & Knowlton; Nihad Awad, CAIR
Executive Director and Co-Founder; Cary (Ibrahim) Hooper,
CAIR Communication Director and Co-Founder; Dr. Parvez Ahmed,
CAIR Board Chairman; and Dr. Nabil Sadoun, CAIR Board Member.


5. (U) CAIR delegation also paid a call earlier in the day on
Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad al-Qassimi, Ruler of Sharjah,
which was covered in the press.


6. (U) Sheikh Ali al-Hashemi, UAE Presidential Adviser on
Islamic affairs, is hosting a reception at his house this
evening, May 22, in honor of the CAIR group; Ambassador and
PolOff to attend. Al-Hashemi also thanked the Ambassador for
receiving the CAIR delegation.


7. (SBU) Comment: CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad told us
that while they were pleased with the results of the meeting
with Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, they had no concrete
information on the size of the endowment or when it might be
forthcoming. Awad also mentioned that the Bin Hamoodah
Group, a $500 million/year trading company, founded by three
Emirati brothers and representing Haliburton, IBM, FMC
Corporation and General Motors, is CAIR's main benefactor in
the UAE. One newly-rich stock trader, Talal Khoori (UAE
national of Iranian origin),is believed to have donated one
million dollars to CAIR.
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