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