FOREIGN MINISTER ABDULLAH ON GCC +2, SYRIA,

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001177 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ARP, NEA/ELA, AND NEA/IPA NSC FOR NRAMCHAND AND EABRAMS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ IS SY PK AE SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER ABDULLAH ON GCC +2, SYRIA, PAKISTAN REF: A. STATE 98169 ¶B. ABU DHABI 1145 ¶C. ABU DHABI 1119 Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Ambassador spoke with Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed (AbZ) on July 14 evening to discuss the planned GCC 2 meeting (Ref A),his upcoming trip to Syria with UAE President Khalifa, and Pakistan. END SUMMARY. GCC 2; Israeli-Palestinian Issue -------------- ¶2. (C) On July 14, Ambassador spoke with AbZ to request his presence at the proposed July 31 GCC 2 meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh. AbZ confirmed he would attend. He added that although he knew Iraq-related issues would be high on the agenda for the GCC 2, he hoped that Israeli-Palestinian issues would also be covered. A number of the GCC 2 countries were expecting that this would be the case. "We will continue to be your allies, and you know that. But without movement on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, those who doubt the (U.S.) intentions can talk...don't make it too hard for us, please," urged AbZ. U.S. financial and diplomatic support to President Mahmoud Abbas' government was important, he added. Syria -------------- ¶3. (C) Turning to AbZ's planned July 15 departure for Damascus with UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, Ambassador asked that the UAE side underscore to Bashar al Assad that no one in the international community would support the idea of a second, parallel government in Lebanon. The UAE side should also urge the Government of Syria to improve action against the influx of foreign fighters and weapons into Iraq (Ref C),she suggested. AbZ agreed to pursue these points but added that he doubted this advice would be heeded. ¶4. (C) Ambassador inquired whether any agreements, economic or other, would be signed during the visit; AbZ replied in the negative. (Note: UAE-Syria agreements on communications, trade, and investment were signed in 2006; Bashar last met with President Khalifa in Abu Dhabi in December 2006. End Note.) AbZ said that he, his brothers Minister of Presidential Affairs Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed (Chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's court),as well as Minister for Governmental Sector Development Sultan bin Saeed al Mansouri, would also travel to Syria and onward to official stops in Algiers and Paris with President Khalifa. Economy Minister Sheika Lubna al Qasimi would join the delegation in Paris. Pakistan -------------- ¶5. (C) In a recent conversation with A/S Welch, AbZ had asked whether the USG thought it would be useful for the UAEG to ask Benazir Bhutto, who is living in Dubai, to provide support to Pakistani President Musharraf. As a follow-up, Ambassador noted to AbZ that the USG had no official position on the question other than U.S. support for the planned transition to civilian rule and the promised free, fair, and credible elections for later this year or early 2008. Pakistani politicians must form their own conclusions on election-year political strategy in accordance with the Pakistani constitution, she emphasized. AbZ then turned to the Lal Mosque operation in Islamabad, noting that Musharraf's life had been placed in danger many times as the result of his actions against extremists. "Jesus Christ, he needs a miracle," summarized AbZ. SISON