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O 201356Z DEC 05
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2864
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 5653
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 005129 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2010 
TAGS: PREL PTER KNNP KPAL IR IZ SY LE IS AE
SUBJECT: GCC SUMMIT COMMUNIQUE: IRAN ESCAPES CONDEMNATION 
 
REF: A. ABU DHABI 5079 
     ¶B. ABU DHABI 5038 
 
ABU DHABI 00005129  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Classified By: CDA Martin R. Quinn, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: The Gulf Cooperation Council concluded its 
29th annual summit in Abu Dhabi December 19 by expressing 
support for Iraq's December 15 elections, condemning the 
assassinations of "Lebanese symbols and leaders," calling for 
a Middle East weapons of mass destruction-free zone, and 
urging Israel to join the Nonproliferation Treaty.  The GCC 
also renewed its support for regional and international 
counterterrorism efforts, and reiterated its position in 
favor of the establishment of an independent Palestinian 
state.  Absent from the GCC's closing statement was any 
specific mention of Iran's nuclear power program, its 
interference in Iraq's internal affairs, or Syria's role in 
Lebanon.  Despite the final statement's silence on Iran, the 
UAE foreign minister did speak directly to the press to 
express the GCC,s "legitimate fear" concerning Iran's 
nuclear program.  End Summary. 
 
Iraq 
---- 
 
¶2. (U) The GCC welcomed Iraq's parliamentary elections and 
expressed hope that the elections would contribute to 
stability and sovereignty, and help Iraq return as an "active 
member of the Arab and international family" and live in 
peace with its neighbors.  The GCC condemned the terrorist 
acts against civilians, humanitarian, and religious 
organizations, and denounced the "deliberate, systematic 
killings of Iraqis, Kuwaiti prisoners and detainees, peoples 
of other nationalities and unearthed mass graves -) which 
were committed by the former Iraqi regime )- in a flagrant 
violation of human rights, Islamic and Arab principles, 
ethics, and values."  GCC Secretary General Al Attiyah told 
the press that the GCC reaffirmed its support for the 
reconstruction of Iraq. 
 
Iran 
---- 
 
¶3. (U) Absent from the GCC final statement was any specific 
mention of Iran's nuclear program beyond support for a Middle 
East WMD-free zone or Iran's interference in Iraq's internal 
affairs, despite having voiced worries at Tehran's nuclear 
ambitions during the two-day summit.  Al Attiyah told the 
press during the summit that the GCC would discuss ways of 
enhancing ties with Iran in the spirit of Islamic fraternity 
and friendship.  He added that efforts aimed at achieving 
security and stability in the region were continuing, and the 
GCC would not take a stance against Iran. 
 
¶4. (U) Before, during, and after the summit, the local 
English press, in particular, magnified the Iran issue as 
though it were the major item on the GCC's agenda.  There 
were days when Iran was depicted as a threat, and other days 
when it wasn't.  Monday's press, for example, carried an 
interview with Al Attiyah in which he said, "We in the Gulf 
region are not worried about Iran's nuclear program. ... It's 
not worrisome as long as it is restricted to peaceful use." 
Nonetheless, if Iran does not limit its nuclear program to 
peaceful applications, the issue "will not be neglected" by 
the GCC, he said. 
 
¶5. (U) By Tuesday, the top story in the "Gulf News" was 
entitled "GCC fears Iran nuclear activities."  The article 
quoted UAE Foreign Minister Rashid Abdullah Al Noaimi as 
saying that the GCC had "a legitimate fear" of Iran's nuclear 
program, focusing mainly on environmental concerns.  "The GCC 
states are very close to the Iranian nuclear reactor in 
Bushehr and don't have the necessary protection in case of 
radioactive leakage," he said.  "Gulf Today" quoted an Abu 
Dhabi-based analyst as saying that the Bushehr facility "is 
closer to the region than to the Iranian capital, Tehran." 
Gulf countries demanded environmental "guarantees and 
protections" from the Iranian nuclear power plant, Al Noaimi 
said. 
 
¶6. (U) "Gulf News" also reported a letter sent to the GCC by 
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa criticizing the GCC 
position on Iran's nuclear program.  Moussa reportedly urged 
the GCC to "support" the Iranian position and "focus more" on 
Israel's nuclear program.  Al Noaimi reportedly told the 
press that the GCC shared Moussa's worries over the Israeli 
nuclear program, "but in the Gulf, we have fears and worries 
from the Iranian program."  In a December 20 op-ed in the 
Arabic, semi-official, "Al Ittihad," the Abu Dhabi-based 
think tank Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research 
 
ABU DHABI 00005129  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
(ECSSR), which closely reflects UAEG positions, sua| +QBQQ7$lUQ{O,q 
to help end U.S. occupation of Iraq. 
 
Iran/UAE Islands Dispute 
------------------------ 
 
¶8. (U) As expected, the GCC reiterated its support for the 
UAE's sovereignty of its three islands of Abu Musa and 
Greater and Lesser Tunbs and expressed regret that contacts 
with Iran have not yielded a settlement.  The leaders said 
they would continue to consider all peaceful means to restore 
the UAE's right to the three islands.  They hoped that Iran 
would respond to the efforts by the UAE and the international 
community for reaching a settlement, including referral of 
the issue to the International Court of Justice. 
 
Lebanon/Syria 
------------- 
 
¶9. (U) As with the Iran nuclear issue, the GCC's final 
communiqu did not condemn Syria, even though some delegates 
had said Syria's disagreement with the UN over the Mehlis 
Report would be high on the summit agenda.  Instead, the GCC 
denounced the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq 
Hariri and the recent assassinations of Lebanese politicians 
and journalists.  It condemned Israel's attacks on Lebanon, 
and urged the Lebanese to "patch up the rift" in order to 
safeguard unity of their country.  The GCC expressed 
satisfaction at Syria's acceptance of United Nations Security 
Council's resolution 1644 related to the international 
investigation panel.  "Gulf News" noted that the Amr Moussa 
letter to the GCC accused the GCC of "exerting undue pressure 
on Syria" and blaming it for killing Hariri. 
 
Middle East Peace 
----------------- 
 
¶10. (U) The GCC hailed the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza Strip 
and some settlements in the West Bank as "a step in the right 
direction, but hoped it would be followed by a complete 
pullout from all the occupied Palestinian territories" in 
order to pave the way for the establishment of an independent 
Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.  The GCC 
reiterated its members' adherence to the Arab peace 
initiative approved by the 2002 Arab summit in Beirut, and 
emphasized the integration of this initiative with the 
Roadmap.  The council also stressed the importance of Israeli 
withdrawal from the Golan Heights and Shebaa Farms in 
southern Lebanon. 
 
Middle East WMD-Free Zone 
----------------------------- 
 
¶11. (U) The council demanded that Israel join the nuclear 
Nonproliferation Treaty and "open all its nuclear facilities 
to international inspection by the International Atomic 
Energy Agency (IAEA)."  GCC leaders appealed to the 
international community to pressure Israel to comply.  They 
also called for a Middle East nuclear weapons free zone.  In 
a recent statement, Al Attiyah said Iran's nuclear ambitions 
pose a threat to member countries of the GCC and NATO, and 
called on NATO to press for the elimination of nuclear arms 
in the Gulf region so that it does not get "sandwiched" 
between Israel and Iran.  Al Attiyah said there would soon be 
an announcement of the creation of a WMD-free zone involving 
GCC states, Iran, Iraq, and Yemen. 
 
Other Summit Outcomes 
--------------------- 
 
¶12. (U) According to the final statement, the GCC leaders 
 
ABU DHABI 00005129  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
also agreed to: 
 
-- ratify a deal to create a European-style monetary union, 
but did not set a date for it to go into effect. 
 
-- support efforts aimed at setting up a task force, under 
the UN aegis, for studying the recommendations related to the 
Saudi proposal for establishing an international 
anti-terrorism center. 
 
-- reiterate its denunciation of terrorist acts and underline 
the need for concerted world action to stand against acts of 
terror. 
 
-- allow interior ministers to sign an agreement on 
extradition of convicts. 
 
-- endorse a document on standard trade policy aimed at 
unifying foreign trade policies of the GCC countries to 
enable them to deal with the outside world as a single 
economic bloc. 
 
-- fund development projects in Yemen and hold a conference 
to explore investment opportunities in Yemen. 
 
Comment: 
------- 
 
¶13. (C) As we expected, the GCC in its closing statement 
opted for a generic call for a Middle East WMD-free zone as 
opposed to a specific statement on Iran's nuclear program. 
It also did not include any condemnation of Iranian President 
Ahmadinejad's recent statements about Israel and the 
Holocaust.  There was, likewise, no official condemnation of 
Syria.  Instead, the GCC focused on Israel's failure to join 
the NPT.  Thus, in the end, the GCC showed deference to 
concerns expressed by Amr Moussa.  In that context, UAE 
Foreign Minister Al Noaimi's statements to the press 
expressing apprehension about Iran's nuclear program, couched 
in terms of fear of nuclear fallout in case of a reactor 
accident, showed a degree of courage.  There was speculation 
among diplomats that Iran dominated the talks behind closed 
doors.  There was also speculation that discussion of local 
issues accounted for the two-and-a-half-hour delay in 
concluding the Summit.  In any event, rather than explicitly 
condemn the Iranian regime, the GCC leaders opted for a more 
generic approach. 
QUINN