UAE CANNOT HOLD SADDIQ FOR LONG

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 000438


DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ARP, NEA/ELA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2019
TAGS: PREL PTER LE SY AE
SUBJECT: UAE CANNOT HOLD SADDIQ FOR LONG

REF: STATE 44705

Classified by Charge d'Affaires Douglas Greene, reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (S) As Charge made reftel points (on former Syrian intelligence
officer Mohamed Zuhair Siddiq) to Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs Dr. Anwar Gargash on May 5, Dr. Gargash said "I know all
about the case." The UAE faces a "conundrum," he continued, as it is
indeed holding Siddiq for "local offenses" and has received a Syrian
request for his extradition. The UAEG recognizes the downside to
sending him back to Syria yet is getting no response from either
Lebanon or the Hariri tribunal to help the UAEG hold Siddiq much
longer.


2. (S) Elaborating, Gargash said Siddiq had reportedly made repeated
trips to the UAE but evaded attention when the Tribunal came looking.
Two officers of the Tribunal did eventually succeed in interviewing
him in the UAE, after which the UAEG got a note of appreciation from
The Hague for its cooperation. Siddiq was subsequently arrested for
a "local offense" (nfi) in the UAE and is now being held. Syria has
asked formally for Siddiq's return and the UAEG is obligated to
respond -- due to bilateral extradition commitments. That said, the
UAEG informally reached out to Lebanon and to the Hariri Tribunal
looking for cover (an "excuse") so it can delay the Syrian request.
The UAEG has received no reply from either one.


3. (S) The Tribunal asked again "10 days ago" whether Siddiq had
been arrested in the UAE, to which Gargash said they were given four
clear points:
--- yes, he was arrested and is detained in the UAE;
--- his arrest was on a local offence and has nothing to do with the
Tribunal;
--- the UAE only has one request for his extradition and that is from
Syria (with whom it has a reciprocal agreement on extraditions); and
--- why is the Tribunal not asking for him?


4. (S) The UAEG has been delaying a response to Syria and seeks an
"excuse" for not complying with Syria's request. Gargash said the
UAEG wants the same outcome as the USG and may write to the Tribunal
to ask its preference -- essentially pressing the Tribunal to give
the UAE cover to hold Siddiq longer or transfer him to Lebanon.


5. (S) Very aware of the pitfalls of Siddiq returning to Syria prior
to Lebanon's June elections, Gargash was not optimistic that the UAE
could hold Siddiq that long without help from the Tribunal. MFA
cannot make this judgment without the Ministry of Interior and the
courts, he said, who only have Siddiq detained on a minor offense.
The UAEG needs a request from the Tribunal stating its interests and
asking the UAE to hold him. The UAE "cannot stretch this out for
another month" without the Tribunal's help, he insisted.


6. (S) Charge closed the meeting by reiterating our key concerns, and
requests, for the UAEG.

GREENE