UAE AMBASSADOR TO INDIA (DESIGNEE-TO-BE FOR IRAQ?)

S E C R E T NEW DELHI 001606 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ AE IN SUBJECT: UAE AMBASSADOR TO INDIA (DESIGNEE-TO-BE FOR IRAQ?) AL SHEHHI BIODATA REF: BAGHDAD 1760 Classified By: A/DCM John Davison for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (S) In response to reftel, Post has obtained the following information on United Arab Emirates Ambassador to India (and, according to reftel, likely to be named Ambassador to Iraq). Post has had only limited contact with Ambassador Al Shehhi in the past, and will seek further information as appropriate. ¶2. (S) Ambassador Abdulla Ebrahim A. Alzoy Al Shehhi (as spelled in the New Delhi diplomatic list) joined the diplomatic corps approximately two years ago, according to Iraqi Charge d'Affaires Muayad Hussain, who claims to know Al Shehhi well. Since that time his one and only diplomatic tour has been as Ambassador to New Delhi, having arrived in April of 2006. Prior to becoming this assignment, Al Shehhi was in the UAE military, where he retired after serving a full career (NFI). He is married. ¶3. (S) When Poloff asked Charge Hussain whether he had heard any rumors that Al Shehhi was being assigned to Iraq, Hussain said no, but offered to discreetly look into it. He noted Al Shehhi and his deputy are currently in Abu Dhabi. He said he found Al Shehhi to be "secretive," but not difficult to work with. Hussain speculated that, if true, the UAE decision to send someone with Al Shehhi's military background likely indicated the security concerns inherent in the appointment. Hussain also cautioned against expecting the new UAE Ambassador, regardless of who it will be, to be on the ground in Baghdad quickly, as he has seen on more than one occasion a country promise that they are sending an ambassador only to put off pressure from Iraq and its supporters to do so. As an example, he said that India had promised four years ago to send an envoy, and since that time the position remains unfilled despite ongoing assurances that the assignment is "under preparations." MULFORD