Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DUBAI363
2007-06-07 13:23:00
SECRET
Consulate Dubai
Cable title:  

MOHAMMAD GERGAWI DISCUSSES IRAN, IRAQ AND ISRAEL WITH

Tags:  PREL PGOV PINS KNNP IR IS IZ SY AE 
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FM AMCONSUL DUBAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5461
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHZM/GCC C COLLECTIVE
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 2473
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 8560
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBAI 000363 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/7/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS KNNP IR IS IZ SY AE
SUBJECT: MOHAMMAD GERGAWI DISCUSSES IRAN, IRAQ AND ISRAEL WITH
SENATOR LIEBERMAN

DUBAI 00000363 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Paul R Sutphin, Consul General, Dubai, UAE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBAI 000363

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/7/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS KNNP IR IS IZ SY AE
SUBJECT: MOHAMMAD GERGAWI DISCUSSES IRAN, IRAQ AND ISRAEL WITH
SENATOR LIEBERMAN

DUBAI 00000363 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Paul R Sutphin, Consul General, Dubai, UAE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (S) SUMMARY. Senator Joseph Lieberman (I, CN) met with
Mohammad Gergawi, UAE Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, on
May 29. Gergawi, also a close advisor to UAE Vice President,
Prime Minister and Dubai ruler Mohammad bin Rashid Al-Maktoum
(MbR),described education as a primary weapon against
radicalism. MbR's recently-announced $10 billion education
foundation - which Gergawi will spearhead - will aim to educate
and provide job opportunities for youth in the Arab and Muslim
world (septel). On Iran, Gergawi expressed his belief that
dialogue was the best for the United States. Gergawi said that
Foreign Minister Mottaki assured him that Iran had no intention
to develop nuclear weapons or "wipe out" Israel. Gergawi told
the Senator that the UAE and Israel had a significant
relationship; he hoped the Senator would help America's Jewish
community understand this, as well as encourage the University
of Connecticut to revisit its decision to suspend efforts to
establish a campus in Dubai. On Syria, Gergawi said he believed
Damascus is ready to make peace with Israel. End Summary.

Dubai - A Positive Alternative to the Radicals
-------------- -


2. (C) Gergawi, who is also the head of Dubai Holdings, perhaps
the largest of Dubai's parastatals with assets in the hundreds
of billions, reminded the Senator that the UAE is a partner with
the US in the war on terror. However, he said, the UAE prefers
to exercise "soft power" to achieve progress. The government of
Dubai is building a modern, tolerant, and progressive state that
aims to be a model for the region. Dubai's "liberal" model
provides a positive alternative to radicalism for the youth in
the region.


3. (C) Gergawi identified "weak governments incapable of running
countries efficiently" as a key regional problem. Dubai has

been training government officials from throughout the Arab
world at the Dubai School of Government (DSG) to address this
concern. Raising the competence of governments, Dubai seeks to
spread moderation and modernization, and thus fight the
radicalism the "soft way."

MbR's New Foundation
--------------


4. (C) Gergawi noted he would be heading MbR's $10 billion
educational foundation, which aims at "raising the level of
thinking of youth" in the Arab and Muslim world, as well as
providing job skills and opportunities. Gergawi commented that
"over the past few years radicals have gained ground in the
region," and MbR's new fund is one of Dubai's weapons to counter
the radicals. One early initiative will be sending "unfortunate
students with potential" to western universities for training.
These students will return to the region and "make a
difference". In addition, the endowment will fund "business
incubators" as the region needs "18 million jobs".


5. (SBU) In addition to youth training, Gergawi said the
Foundation would aim to elevate culture. The endowment will
seek to double the number of books translated into Arabic every
year, as this "will open minds". Additionally, Gergawi said he
wants to double the number of authors writing books in Arabic.


6. (C) Gergawi stated that American education is one of greatest
powers the US wields. Many of the leaders in Dubai and
throughout the Gulf studied in the US, and it was "US education
that taught us to be tolerant". American education, he posited,
will change Iran. Already, many Iranians send their children to
Dubai to study in American-system schools.

Iran
--------------


7. (C) Gergawi believes US dialogue with Iran is the best path
toward reconciliation. He said the recent US-Iran direct
meeting in Baghdad was a positive step. He urged the US to
engage "voices" in Iran beyond the GOI, including the many
groups who are not happy with the current regime. This included
the supporters of former Iranian president Khatami, the "traders
in the bazaar", and the majority of the youth. He pointed out
that many young Iranians are trying to be "American."


8. (C) Gergawi added that Iran is not a monolith and that there
are many ideological elements. He mentioned a split among the

DUBAI 00000363 002.2 OF 002


Iranian clerics about whether the center of Shi'a Islam lay in
Qom, Iran or in Najaf, Iraq. He said that there are similar
political rifts in the regime. Gergawi commented that while
Ahmedinejad vociferously threatens Israel, Iranian Foreign
Minister Mottaki personally assured him at the World Economic
Forum in Jordan that Iran has no intention to "wipe out" Israel.


9. (C) Gergawi said that the Iranian leadership sees a
leadership vacuum in the region and wants Iran to fill it. He
added that the one question is whether or not the Iranian regime
wants a war with America. He commented that a war would, in
fact, help Ahmedinejad by uniting all Iranians behind him --
thus he might consider war a viable option.

Iranian Nuclear Ambitions
--------------


10. (C) Gergawi expressed doubts about Iran's nuclear ambitions.
He said "much of what they [Iran] say is just talk", and
doesn't believe Iran possesses all of the technology it claims.
The best means to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is
to go to the source countries, China and North Korea, and
convince them to stop supplying Iran. He said that Ahmedinejad
had "sworn" during his recent visit to the UAE that Iran was
pursuing only nuclear power, and not a nuclear weapon.

Israel
--------------


11. (S) Gergawi told the Senator that an "unofficial"
relationship between the UAE and Israel existed. He asked for
Senator Lieberman's support in helping the American Jewish
community understand that this relationship exists. However, the
UAE is in a "tough neighborhood" and must be "smart" handling
the relationship. The UAE "cannot change the region in a day or
two," and needs to be careful about getting out in front of its
regional allies. Gergawi added that delegations from the
Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee had
recently made positive visits in the UAE.


12. (C) Gergawi also asked the Senator's assistance in
revitalizing the stalled University of Connecticut project to
build a 4,000-student campus in Dubai's Academic City (a Dubai
Holdings project). The Senator said he would look into the
situation.

Iraq
--------------


13. (C) When the Senator asked for Gergawi's advice on Iraq,
Gergawi was adamant that a US failure in Iraq would throw the
whole region into chaos. He commented that the Saudis are now
trying to use their influence to improve the situation in Iraq
and that many Iraqi tribes are now turning against al-Qaeda.
Gergawi believes that Iraq needs a stronger government much
different than the current one, which "has its roots in Iran."
Gergawi suggested former PM Ayad Allawi as a good long-term
option to unite Iraqis.

Syria
--------------


14. (C) Gergawi suggested to the Senator that the US should
start a dialogue with Syria. Syria is linked to Iran, HAMAS and
Hizballah and a dialogue could be the way to weaken these links.
Gergawi added he believes Syria is ready for peace with Israel.


15. (C) Bashar al Assad visited Dubai a few months ago and he
asked Dubai's leadership how he could change the situation in
Syria for the better. Gergawi concurred with Senator Lieberman's
assessment that Bashar's leadership has been weak, and beset by
entrenched centers of power. Gergawi was firm that if there were
forced "regime change" in Syria, it would "become another Iraq."



16. (U) Senator Lieberman departed Dubai prior to the drafting
of this cable.
SUTPHIN