Cablegate: Need for Guidance On Iraqi Passport Issues

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Diana T Fritz 03/21/2007 05:38:51 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results

Cable
Text:

UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS
TELEGRAM June 16, 2003

To: No Action Addressee

Action: Unknown

From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 2896 - PRIORITY)

TAGS: PREL, PREF

Captions: None

Subject: NEED FOR GUIDANCE ON IRAQI PASSPORT ISSUES

Ref: None
_________________________________________________________________
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 02896

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

DISSEMINATION: POL
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AMB: MMWAHBA
DRAFTED: POL: MMMENARD
CLEARED: A/DCM: TEWILLIAMS; POL: STWILLIAMS; CONS: MMARRANO

VZCZCADI852
PP RUEHC RUCNRAQ RHMFIUU RUCAACC RUEKJCS RHEHNSC
RUEAIIA RHEFDIA
DE RUEHAD #2896 1671343
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161343Z JUN 03
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0467
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTH BAGHDAD PRIORITY
RUCAACC/USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002896

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/NGA AND PRM, CENTCOM FOR POLAD
NSC FOR ABRAMS, THEROUX AND KHALILZAD
DOD FOR OSD/NESA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PREF IZ TC
SUBJECT: NEED FOR GUIDANCE ON IRAQI PASSPORT ISSUES

REF: A) AMMAN 3455

B) ABU DHABI 2529
C) STATE 100462

1. This is an action request; see paragraph 4.

2. Like our colleagues in Embassy Amman (ref A), Embassy
officers here have received more than 50 calls and walk-ins
since the closure of the Iraqi Embassy in Abu Dhabi in early
June from Iraqi nationals resident in the UAE for assistance
with consular services and travel to Iraq. Those who first
contact the UAEG seeking assistance are now being automatically
referred to us for help. We expect that the number of requests
for assistance will grow exponentially as days pass, given that
there are reportedly more than 80,000 Iraqis resident in the
UAE.

3. Our Iraqi callers fear that their inability to renew their
passports will jeopardize their residency status in the UAE and
affect their ability to travel abroad, whether for education
purposes or medical treatment. The following two cases are
representative of the urgent requests for assistance that we
have received:

--An Iraqi engineer resident in the UAE requested assistance
because his Iraqi passport expires in two months and the UAEG
will not renew his residency visa unless his passport is valid
for at least six months. When his residency visa expires, he
will become an illegal overstay and lose his employment.

--The Iraqi Office Director to the UAE Minister of Interior
requested assistance on behalf of his son, whose Iraqi passport
expired in May. The son has been studying at a Canadian
university for three years. The university refused to enroll
the Office Director's son this summer because his passport had
expired, and advised him that he will not be allowed to enroll
this fall for his final year if his passport is not renewed.

4. We note that our consular section has received at least one
application for a U.S. visa by an Iraqi citizen holding a
passport issued after 19 March. An SAO request was submitted
pursuant to ref C.

5. ACTION REQUEST: We request Department guidance at the
soonest on how we should respond to requests for assistance. We
also need guidance that we can pass to the UAEG outlining when
we expect passport services to resume at the Iraqi Embassy in
Abu Dhabi. In the meantime, the Ambassador is seeking the
assistance of de facto UAE Foreign Minister Hamdan bin Zayid to
ensure that the Emiratis grant waivers to Iraqi citizen
residents who are experiencing visa/residency difficulties.

WAHBA

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