MFA ACTING UNDER SECRETARY ON MAY 13-14

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 000813 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2022 TAGS: PGOV PREL KNNP IR AE SUBJECT: MFA ACTING UNDER SECRETARY ON MAY 13-14 AHMADINEJAD VISIT TO UAE REF: A. ABU DHABI 780 ¶B. DUBAI 0035 Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES MARTIN R. QUINN FOR REASONS 1.4 B & D. ¶1. (C) During May 17 meeting with CDA, MFA Acting U/S Tariq Al Haidan reflected on this week's visit by Iranian President Ahmadinejad. Although Al Haidan is a senior UAE diplomat who spent 10 years in Tehran, he readily acknowledged that he did not attend any of the meetings with the Iranian leader. ¶2. (S) Al Haidan said that the UAE invitation to Ahmadinejad was longstanding and had been extended to previous Iranian President Khatami. Al Haidan claimed that Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (AbZ) had re-extended the invitation during his January 9 visit to Tehran and that Ahmadinejad's "acceptance" was confirmed during the May 2 visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki. Noting that the UAE and Oman were the only two Gulf countries that Ahmadinejad had not visited, Al Haidan added that the proximity to Vice President Cheney's May 10-12 visit was "100% coincidental" and was -- despite speculation -- not by design. ¶3. (S) Al Haidan indicated that the UAEG decided not to raise any contentious subjects during the Iranian president's visit (such as the islands dispute or the nuclear issue),but also decided not to issue a joint statement or to appear with Ahmadinejad on any public platforms )- although the UAE seemed powerless to exercise control over their guest's predictably anti-Western, anti-U.S. statements. Al Haidan dismissed the Iranian president's rhetoric as "just his way" and shrugged, "He was talking to his people and pressing his theory that all the security problems in the Gulf are the result of foreign interference, and will only be resolved when the foreigners leave." Al Haidan affirmed that the UAE had a far different view of the Gulf security situation. ¶4. (S) Comment: The UAEG was aware of and planning for Vice President Cheney's visit prior to Mottaki's May 2 visit. While the UAEG may not actively have sought for the visits to occur back-to-back, neither did it act resolutely to de-conflict them )- perhaps acquiescing due to fear of offending Iran. Prior to and during the Vice President's visit, some UAEG officials privately showed mild humor -- with a smile and knowing glance -- at the proximity of the two visits. Local Iranian academics, according to IRPO, have expressed skepticism at the "coincidence" of the visits stating that they see the UAE attempting to play the role as mediator )- but that Iran "would not accept it." End Comment. QUINN