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Diana T Fritz  03/20/2007 05:27:05 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

Cable 
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CONFIDENTIAL

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TELEGRAM                                       September 16, 2003


To:       No Action Addressee                                    

Action:   Unknown                                                

From:     AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 4223 - UNKNOWN)         

TAGS:     PREL                                                   

Captions: None                                                   

Subject:  UAEG REACTS POSITIVELY TO SECRETARY POWELL'S IRAQ VISIT

Ref:      None                                                   
_________________________________________________________________
C O N F I D E N T I A L        ABU DHABI 04223

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CXABU:
    ACTION: POL 
    INFO:   DCM P/M AMB ECON RSO 
Laser1:
    INFO:   FCS 

DISSEMINATION: POL
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AMB:MHWAHBA
DRAFTED: POL:JFMAYBURY
CLEARED: DCM:RAALBRIGHT

VZCZCADI648
OO RUEHC RUCNRAQ RHMFISS
DE RUEHAD #4223 2591247
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 161247Z SEP 03
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1721
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/HQ COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTH BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 004223 
 
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STATE FOR NEA/NGA, EB-IRAQ TASK FORCE, AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/15/13 
TAGS:      
SUBJECT:  UAEG REACTS POSITIVELY TO SECRETARY 
POWELL'S IRAQ VISIT 
 
Ref: A) Ambassador Wahba-Jones 9/15/03 e-mail, 
B) Abu Dhabi 4010, C) Abu Dhabi 3827, D) Abu 
Dhabi 3816 
 
 1. (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba, Reasons 
1.5(b) and (d). 
 
 2. (C) UAE MinState for Foreign Affairs Sheikh 
Hamdan Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (HbZ) told the 
Ambassador during a September 15 telcon that 
Secretary Powell's visit to Iraq had cast a very 
 
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positive light on Iraq.  The Secretary's visit 
on Monday to the cemetery in the north was very 
well received by the Kurds, Sh. Hamdan said.  He 
said that the Secretary's public comments were 
credible, positive, and his presence was a boost 
to the region and to the Iraqis.  Sh. Hamdan 
affirmed that the UAE will continue to do 
everything it can to support Iraq and the IGC. 
His positive reaction tracks with our earlier 
reports on UAE support for Iraq's new leadership 
(see refs B-D). 
 
 3. (U) On September 15, the UAE local press 
published front-page articles about the visit. 
The English-language "Gulf News" ran the 
headline "Iraqi handover will fail if hurried, 
warns Powell" while the English-language 
"Khaleej Times" carried the headline "Americans 
are liberators, we don't overstay: Powell."  A 
"Gulf News" on September 15, while not directly 
mentioning the Secretary's visit, stated, "The 
five veto-wielding permanent members of the UN 
Security Council have failed to resolve their 
differences on how to offer Iraq a future, and 
have let the Iraqi people down badly.  As a way 
around the lack of UN agreement, US Secretary of 
State Colin Powell has asked for more non- 
American troops in Iraq to support the 
coalition."  The editorial added, "The interim 
Iraqi Administration should be given more 
powers, backed by coalition forces which give 
way to a new UN-approved force very soon.  The 
present lack of momentum in this direction is 
creating instability, and weakening the chances 
of long-term success every week that it 
continues." 
 
WAHBA