Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ABUDHABI866
2006-03-07 13:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAE TELLS IRANIAN ENVOY MIDDLE EAST MUST BE
how-toVZCZCXRO0823 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS DE RUEHAD #0866 0661345 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 071345Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3825 INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000866
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2016
TAGS: PREL GCC IR AE
SUBJECT: UAE TELLS IRANIAN ENVOY MIDDLE EAST MUST BE
WMD-FREE
REF: A. ABU DHABI 850
B. DUBAI 347
Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000866
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2016
TAGS: PREL GCC IR AE
SUBJECT: UAE TELLS IRANIAN ENVOY MIDDLE EAST MUST BE
WMD-FREE
REF: A. ABU DHABI 850
B. DUBAI 347
Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: Iranian President Ahmadinejad's special
envoy, Deputy Foreign Minister Mahdi Mustafavi, met
separately March 6 with UAE President Sheikh Khalifa and UAE
Vice President and Prime Minister and Dubai Ruler Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid (MbR),to deliver letters from
Ahmadinejad containing Iran's position on its nuclear power
program and its talks with the international community. MbR
called for a WMD-free Middle East as opposed to a WMD-free
Gulf region, thus sidestepping the issue of directly
addressing the Iranian program. End Summary.
2. (U) MbR reportedly told Mustafavi that the UAE's policy
was based "on making the Middle East region free from all
banned weapons in order to achieve stability, global peace,
and peaceful co-existence among all peoples of the world."
According to press reports, the two sides reviewed bilateral
relations and gave assurances that they would continue to
cooperate and work to maintain stability in the Gulf region.
The Iranian news agency IRNA reported that MbR called for
strengthening bilateral relations, and that Mostafavi invited
him for a state visit to Tehran.
3. (C) According to UAE press reporting, Mustafavi briefed
the UAE leaders on Iranian negotiations with the
international community on its nuclear program. IRNA quoted
President Khalifa (incorrectly identified as Sheikh Zayed bin
Sultan al-Nahyan) as saying that the nuclear issue should be
resolved within the framework of the IAEA. In addition, IRNA
reported that Mustafavi said Iran was "bound to clarify the
ambiguities and concerns facing the regional public opinions
and media on Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant," and deputy head of
Iran Atomic Energy Organization for Technical Affairs Khalili
(first name not given) reported on the quality of
construction of Bushehr. (Comment: This was presumably to
counter concerns publicly voiced by then-UAE Foreign Minister
Rashid Abdullah al-Noaimi at the conclusion of the GCC Summit
in Abu Dhabi last December when he spoke about the potential
threat posed by Iran's Bushehr nuclear power facility. End
comment.)
4. (U) The two major English dailies highlighted the UAE's
call for a WMD-free region. The meetings were the main story
in "Gulf News" March 7 ("UAE for WMD-free region"). The
Iranian envoy's visit was also the top story in the Arabic
semi-official daily "al-Ittihad", but the headline and story
did not mention Sheikh Mohammed's call for a WMD-free region
("Khalifa briefed on Iranian nuclear developments and calls
for stability in the region").
5. (U) There was no mention in the press or by either the UAE
or the Iranian official news agencies of any discussion of
the Abu Musa and Tunbs islands dispute or of the Emirati
fishermen recently detained by Iran.
Comment:
--------------
6. (C) By calling for a WMD-free Middle East as opposed to a
WMD-free Gulf region, UAE sidestepped the issue of directly
addressing the Iranian program. While that approach may be
designed to send a message to Iran not to develop nuclear
weapons, it softens the "blow" by retaining a focus on
Israel's program. Since Iran also publicly opposes nuclear
weapons and calls for a WMD-free Middle East, the statement
is not confrontational. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan's comments in France in January
(ref B),when he was quoted by press as saying, "The
presence of nuclear capabilities in the Middle East region is
harmful. ... We are against Iran acquiring that capability,"
were far more specifically targeted at Iran's program. Asked
whether the Iranian nuclear program posed a danger to the
Gulf region, he replied, "any nuclear program in the Gulf
region would pose a danger." Post is still seeking readouts
on the meeting. FonMin Sheikh Abdullah and Assistant U/S
Tariq al-Haidan, former UAE ambassador in Tehran, are both in
Tunis, returning to UAE tomorrow.
SISON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2016
TAGS: PREL GCC IR AE
SUBJECT: UAE TELLS IRANIAN ENVOY MIDDLE EAST MUST BE
WMD-FREE
REF: A. ABU DHABI 850
B. DUBAI 347
Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: Iranian President Ahmadinejad's special
envoy, Deputy Foreign Minister Mahdi Mustafavi, met
separately March 6 with UAE President Sheikh Khalifa and UAE
Vice President and Prime Minister and Dubai Ruler Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid (MbR),to deliver letters from
Ahmadinejad containing Iran's position on its nuclear power
program and its talks with the international community. MbR
called for a WMD-free Middle East as opposed to a WMD-free
Gulf region, thus sidestepping the issue of directly
addressing the Iranian program. End Summary.
2. (U) MbR reportedly told Mustafavi that the UAE's policy
was based "on making the Middle East region free from all
banned weapons in order to achieve stability, global peace,
and peaceful co-existence among all peoples of the world."
According to press reports, the two sides reviewed bilateral
relations and gave assurances that they would continue to
cooperate and work to maintain stability in the Gulf region.
The Iranian news agency IRNA reported that MbR called for
strengthening bilateral relations, and that Mostafavi invited
him for a state visit to Tehran.
3. (C) According to UAE press reporting, Mustafavi briefed
the UAE leaders on Iranian negotiations with the
international community on its nuclear program. IRNA quoted
President Khalifa (incorrectly identified as Sheikh Zayed bin
Sultan al-Nahyan) as saying that the nuclear issue should be
resolved within the framework of the IAEA. In addition, IRNA
reported that Mustafavi said Iran was "bound to clarify the
ambiguities and concerns facing the regional public opinions
and media on Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant," and deputy head of
Iran Atomic Energy Organization for Technical Affairs Khalili
(first name not given) reported on the quality of
construction of Bushehr. (Comment: This was presumably to
counter concerns publicly voiced by then-UAE Foreign Minister
Rashid Abdullah al-Noaimi at the conclusion of the GCC Summit
in Abu Dhabi last December when he spoke about the potential
threat posed by Iran's Bushehr nuclear power facility. End
comment.)
4. (U) The two major English dailies highlighted the UAE's
call for a WMD-free region. The meetings were the main story
in "Gulf News" March 7 ("UAE for WMD-free region"). The
Iranian envoy's visit was also the top story in the Arabic
semi-official daily "al-Ittihad", but the headline and story
did not mention Sheikh Mohammed's call for a WMD-free region
("Khalifa briefed on Iranian nuclear developments and calls
for stability in the region").
5. (U) There was no mention in the press or by either the UAE
or the Iranian official news agencies of any discussion of
the Abu Musa and Tunbs islands dispute or of the Emirati
fishermen recently detained by Iran.
Comment:
--------------
6. (C) By calling for a WMD-free Middle East as opposed to a
WMD-free Gulf region, UAE sidestepped the issue of directly
addressing the Iranian program. While that approach may be
designed to send a message to Iran not to develop nuclear
weapons, it softens the "blow" by retaining a focus on
Israel's program. Since Iran also publicly opposes nuclear
weapons and calls for a WMD-free Middle East, the statement
is not confrontational. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan's comments in France in January
(ref B),when he was quoted by press as saying, "The
presence of nuclear capabilities in the Middle East region is
harmful. ... We are against Iran acquiring that capability,"
were far more specifically targeted at Iran's program. Asked
whether the Iranian nuclear program posed a danger to the
Gulf region, he replied, "any nuclear program in the Gulf
region would pose a danger." Post is still seeking readouts
on the meeting. FonMin Sheikh Abdullah and Assistant U/S
Tariq al-Haidan, former UAE ambassador in Tehran, are both in
Tunis, returning to UAE tomorrow.
SISON