UAE FOREIGN MINISTER ATTENDING NAM IN HAVANA:

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 003626 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/13/2016 TAGS: PREL UNGA PTER PHUM KPKO UNSC PGOV GT SU IR AE SUBJECT: UAE FOREIGN MINISTER ATTENDING NAM IN HAVANA: DEMARCHES DELIVERED REFS: A) STATE 151212 (Darfur) -- B) STATE 149133 (Iran) -- C) STATE 145242 (Guatemala and other NAM issues) Classified by Ambassador Michele Sison, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Post delivered ref B and C demarches in a series of meetings with members of the UAE delegation to the NAM conference prior to their respective departures to Havana: Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (AbZ), MFA Under Secretary Tariq Al-Haidan, and International Organizations Department Director Yacub Al-Hosani. Our interlocutors were receptive to the issues raised and not overly concerned that NAM positions would be too radical or harmful to U.S. interests. The UAE delegation to Havana will continue to New York to participate in UNGA. ¶2. (C) Regarding ref C, Al-Hosani confirmed to PolChief September 5 the UAE position of support for Guatemala for a seat on the UNSC; ForMin AbZ repeated this assurance to Ambassador on September 10. Al-Hosani noted that a delegation from Guatemala had previously visited to lobby for the UAE vote (the UAE has no Embassy in Guatemala City) and that the UAE supported that country for a "first time" seat on the council. On other issues of concern, Al-Hosani said the NAM would be focused on "restructuring" issues -- seeking ways to strengthen cooperation within the movement -- and was not likely to find consensus on issues raised in the demarche. PolChief cautioned that the NAM offered a platform for grandstanding, to which Al-Hosani replied that some may "overuse" the microphone to highlight parochial issues but that any documents emerging from the conference would be more focused after extensive work in drafting committees. Al-Hosani was not particularly concerned about Cuba commandeering the agenda to serve its own purposes, but was somewhat irritated that getting to Havana was such a long and complex trip. ¶3. (C) Ambassador emphasized ref B points on Iran's nuclear program with the Foreign Minister on September 10. The Minister saw no problem with the U.S. position and made no objections. ¶4. (SBU) PolChief raised ref A concerns about Sudan's position at the NAM with MFA Director for Arab Affairs Ambassador Hamad Saeed Al-Zaabi on September 13. Al-Zaabi said his understanding was that Sudan had not "officially" rejected UNSCR 1706 in spite of its strong public statements against international intervention. Unaware that Bashir was planning to attend the NAM, Al-Zaabi said he did not think the Sudanese President would stray from accepted African Union and Arab League positions. PolChief reminded Al-Zaabi of the need for broad international support for UNSCR 1706 to potentially calm the Darfur crisis and requested that U.S. concerns be relayed to the UAE delegation in Havana. SISON