Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BAGHDAD1760
2008-06-10 09:23:00
SECRET
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
FM ZEBARI PROVIDES LATEST ON OPENING OF ARAB
how-toVZCZCXRO5192 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHGB #1760 1620923 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 100923Z JUN 08 FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD TO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 0414 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0014 RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7747 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
S E C R E T BAGHDAD 001760
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ IN AE
SUBJECT: FM ZEBARI PROVIDES LATEST ON OPENING OF ARAB
EMBASSIES TO S/I SATTERFIELD
REF: (A) BAGHDAD 1734 (B) AMMAN 1723
Classified By: Political Counselor Matt Tueller. Reasons 1.4 (b,d)
S E C R E T BAGHDAD 001760
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ IN AE
SUBJECT: FM ZEBARI PROVIDES LATEST ON OPENING OF ARAB
EMBASSIES TO S/I SATTERFIELD
REF: (A) BAGHDAD 1734 (B) AMMAN 1723
Classified By: Political Counselor Matt Tueller. Reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (U) This is an action request for Embassies New Delhi and
Abu Dhabi. See para 6.
2. (S) During a June 9 meeting with S/I Satterfield, Iraqi FM
Zebari provided updated information on efforts to encourage
Arab countries to open Embassies in Baghdad. Recent events,
including the June 5 visit of UAE FM Abdullah bin Zayed to
Baghdad (Ref A) and the June 5 discussions in Amman between
an Embassy Baghdad delegation and senior Jordanian officials
on specific GOJ concerns (Ref B),show that "things are
really moving forward," FM Zebari said.
3. (S) On the UAE front, FM Zebari told S/I Satterfield that
ABZ had called the day before to inform him that the UAE will
name their current Ambassador in New Delhi to be UAE
Ambassador to Iraq (NFI). He noted that during ABZ's one-day
visit, he had shown him the proposed new UAE Embassy site and
ABZ's response was very positive. He also had discussed the
timing of PM Maliki's proposed visit to the UAE and noted
they have run into a problem with the dates. PM Maliki has
requested June 16-17, on the eve of the Friends of Iraq
Conference in Abu Dhabi. UAE PM Mohammed bin Rashid will not
be available then and the UAE has proposed June 23-24 as an
alternative. Both S/I Satterfield and FM Zebari agreed that
a Maliki-bin Rashid meeting is critical for moving the
process forward and must be an essential part of a Maliki
visit.
4. (S) In addition to the UAE developments, Bahrain FM Khalid
Al Khalifa had recently told Zebari the GOB would be naming
an Ambassador shortly, a Jordanian technical team is expected
here soon after PM Maliki's June 14 visit to Amman to discuss
both security and financial aspects of reopening an Embassy,
and Egypt also intends to send a technical team soon but,
noted Zebari, is "having a hard time finding a candidate"
willing to serve as Ambassador to Iraq due to safety concerns.
5. (S) S/I Satterfield and PolCouns Tueller informed FM
Zebari that they would visit Kuwait later this week to
discuss, among other topics, specific locations to site a
Kuwaiti Embassy and the types of technical support the U.S.
Embassy could provide to facilitate this effort. In this
context, FM Zebari recalled the UK proposal to have both
Kuwait and Turkey play a role in Basra reconstruction.
Zebari said that the GOI's view is "let's start with Kuwait"
and bring the Turks in later when the political situation is
better. He noted that U.S. assistance to encourage the
Kuwaitis to move forward on this would be welcome.
6. (S) Action request for Embassies New Delhi and Abu Dhabi:
In light of the information ABZ conveyed to Zebari, Embassy
Baghdad seeks information on the UAE's current Ambassador to
India and any biographic data that is available. Posts'
assistance is greatly appreciated.
BUTENIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ IN AE
SUBJECT: FM ZEBARI PROVIDES LATEST ON OPENING OF ARAB
EMBASSIES TO S/I SATTERFIELD
REF: (A) BAGHDAD 1734 (B) AMMAN 1723
Classified By: Political Counselor Matt Tueller. Reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (U) This is an action request for Embassies New Delhi and
Abu Dhabi. See para 6.
2. (S) During a June 9 meeting with S/I Satterfield, Iraqi FM
Zebari provided updated information on efforts to encourage
Arab countries to open Embassies in Baghdad. Recent events,
including the June 5 visit of UAE FM Abdullah bin Zayed to
Baghdad (Ref A) and the June 5 discussions in Amman between
an Embassy Baghdad delegation and senior Jordanian officials
on specific GOJ concerns (Ref B),show that "things are
really moving forward," FM Zebari said.
3. (S) On the UAE front, FM Zebari told S/I Satterfield that
ABZ had called the day before to inform him that the UAE will
name their current Ambassador in New Delhi to be UAE
Ambassador to Iraq (NFI). He noted that during ABZ's one-day
visit, he had shown him the proposed new UAE Embassy site and
ABZ's response was very positive. He also had discussed the
timing of PM Maliki's proposed visit to the UAE and noted
they have run into a problem with the dates. PM Maliki has
requested June 16-17, on the eve of the Friends of Iraq
Conference in Abu Dhabi. UAE PM Mohammed bin Rashid will not
be available then and the UAE has proposed June 23-24 as an
alternative. Both S/I Satterfield and FM Zebari agreed that
a Maliki-bin Rashid meeting is critical for moving the
process forward and must be an essential part of a Maliki
visit.
4. (S) In addition to the UAE developments, Bahrain FM Khalid
Al Khalifa had recently told Zebari the GOB would be naming
an Ambassador shortly, a Jordanian technical team is expected
here soon after PM Maliki's June 14 visit to Amman to discuss
both security and financial aspects of reopening an Embassy,
and Egypt also intends to send a technical team soon but,
noted Zebari, is "having a hard time finding a candidate"
willing to serve as Ambassador to Iraq due to safety concerns.
5. (S) S/I Satterfield and PolCouns Tueller informed FM
Zebari that they would visit Kuwait later this week to
discuss, among other topics, specific locations to site a
Kuwaiti Embassy and the types of technical support the U.S.
Embassy could provide to facilitate this effort. In this
context, FM Zebari recalled the UK proposal to have both
Kuwait and Turkey play a role in Basra reconstruction.
Zebari said that the GOI's view is "let's start with Kuwait"
and bring the Turks in later when the political situation is
better. He noted that U.S. assistance to encourage the
Kuwaitis to move forward on this would be welcome.
6. (S) Action request for Embassies New Delhi and Abu Dhabi:
In light of the information ABZ conveyed to Zebari, Embassy
Baghdad seeks information on the UAE's current Ambassador to
India and any biographic data that is available. Posts'
assistance is greatly appreciated.
BUTENIS