FOLLOW-UP DEMARCHE ON NAM STATEMENT ON IRAN: "THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002277 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2016 TAGS: KNNP PREL AORC AE SUBJECT: FOLLOW-UP DEMARCHE ON NAM STATEMENT ON IRAN: "THE MOST SCARED PEOPLE IN THE REGION" REF: SECSTATE 89324 Classified By: DCM Martin Quinn, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On June 3 DCM delivered demarche points on the NAM Statement on Iran to MFA America desk director Ambassador Ali Al Zarouni -- along with a copy of the NAM statement. MinState Foreign Affairs Mohammed Hussain Al Sha'ali led the UAE delegation to the May 27-30 NAM meeting in Kuala Lumpur. ¶2. (C) Al Zarouni's first comment on the demarche was that since Iran was an NAM member, a favorable statement out of the meeting had to be expected. He indicated that the UAE had not played a major role in crafting the statement, but quickly digressed into general commentary on the Iran nuclear program. He remarked as citizens of the UAE, "We are the most scared people in the region." He said the UAEG is very worried about faulty Iranian nuclear technology, and the possibility of radiation leaks, the Iranians, as he said, having picked up their nuclear know-how from North Koreans, Chinese and Russians. Al Zarouni said the UAE also greatly fears spillover from any military action in the region. ¶3. (C) Al Zarouni said that the UAE certainly does not want to see Iran become any stronger. It is necessary to maintain "the balance of power in the Gulf." He confided his personal theory that what Iran most wants at this stage is assurance that it will not be attacked -- by the United States or by, what it fears may be more likely, by Israel. SISON