PSI: UAE PARTICIPATION IN EXERCISE LEADING EDGE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 003882 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2011 TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PREL BA KU MU QA AE SUBJECT: PSI: UAE PARTICIPATION IN EXERCISE LEADING EDGE REF: A. STATE 158756 ¶B. ABU DHABI 3633 ¶C. ABU DHABI 3619 Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B & D). ¶1. (C) On September 3, econchief and poleconoff met with Yacoub Al-Hosani, Director of International Organizations at the MFA to encourage the UAE to participate actively in the late October Leading Edge exercise. Econchief explained that the UAE military had already received an invitation to participate in the exercise from Central Command Commander General Abizaid. Al-Hosani said that he thought the UAE should participate in the exercise and added that he would encourage the military to send appropriate representatives. ¶2. (C) Ambassador had previously urged the UAE to participate in Leading Edge with Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan most recently on September 13, when he said that the UAE would not host the land-based portion of the exercise. DATT also has encouraged military leadership to participate in Exercise Leading Edge. It is hoped that the UAE Armed Forces will designate a UAE Navy and Coast Guard representative to observe. QUINN