IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI VISITS UAE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000737 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/IR AND NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2017 TAGS: PREL IR AE SUBJECT: IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI VISITS UAE REF: A. ABU DHABI 702 ¶B. ABU DHABI 35 Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (U) Summary: On May 2, UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan received Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki at his palace in Al Ain. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (MbZ) and Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed (AbZ) also attended. AbZ told Ambassador that the meetings focused on increasing economic ties and cooperation between the UAE and Iran and on regional issues such as Iraqi security and Lebanese reconstruction. It is likely that President Ahmadinejad will visit Abu Dhabi mid-May. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On May 3, Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed, who had met with FM Mottaki at President Khalifa's Al Ain palace the day before, told Ambassador that Mottaki was "under the impression that your Secretary of State is going to be trying to seek him out in the hallways in Sharm al Sheikh and that she cannot wait to see him." Ambassador asked for AbZ's assessment of Mottaki's message to UAE on regional issues and UAE-Iran economic cooperation, the two areas highlighted in comments to the press made by the two Foreign Ministers. AbZ noted that Iraq security, Lebanon reconstruction, and economic cooperation had been the main topics of discussion. "Frankly," replied AbZ, "what he told us was all B.S. - there was nothing new." AbZ also told Ambassador that President Ahmadinejad intended to visit Abu Dhabi in mid-May. Trip planning was ongoing. He said the UAE would be careful to deconflict the visit with any senior USG visits to the UAE. ¶3. (C) In speaking to the press following the meeting, President Sheikh Khalifa called for an expansion of bilateral ties and called on Iran to play a more active role in forging unity among the world's Muslims. For his part, AbZ stated that restoration of security in Iraq was the first priority. Mottaki responded by saying that in order to secure stability "we need to seriously assist the elected and popular government." (Note: In private conversations, UAEG officials have repeatedly expressed a lack of confidence in the al-Maliki government due to its ties with Tehran. See ref A. End Note.) AbZ added that the UAE had vowed to assist Lebanon in the reconstruction of schools, hospitals, and homes, and was "ready to cooperate with Iran in that respect." ¶4. (U) Referring to his January visit to Iran (ref B) AbZ said that during the Tehran meeting the countries had defined several economic projects that would lead to a leap forward in utilizing unused potential. There was a proposal for the UAE and Iran to make investments in one another's countries, and the UAE was prepared to move forward. Mottaki told journalists about the "good trend" of the two countries' commercial ties. (Note: The first cargo flights between the Iranian free zone at Qeshm and Dubai began May 2, and a second flight is scheduled to begin this week between Iranian Kish Island and Dubai. Each flight can operate up to seven round trips per day. End Note.) ¶5. (U) Also present at the meeting with Mottaki were Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Interior Minister Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Minister of Presidential Affairs Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Planning and Development Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed, Chairman of Emiri Aviation Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa, and Iranian Ambassador to the UAE Hamid Reza Asefi. SISON