Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI1030
2003-03-02 14:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAEG TAKES TOUGH STANCE ON WTO SERVICES
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 05/24/2007 04:57:38 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: CONFIDENTIAL SIPDIS TELEGRAM March 02, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 1030 - ROUTINE) TAGS: PREL, ETRD, KIPR Captions: None Subject: UAEG TAKES TOUGH STANCE ON WTO SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 01030 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: P/M DCM AMB POL Laser1: INFO: FCS DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: DCM: RALBRIGHT DRAFTED: ECON:CMCRUMPLER CLEARED: ECON:TWILLIAMS VZCZCADI563 RR RUEHC RUEHGV RUCNWTO RUCPDOC RUEHRH DE RUEHAD #1030 0611421 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 021421Z MAR 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8644 INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0509 RUCNWTO/WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION COLLECTIVE RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 1230
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001030
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA AND EB/TPP/MTA/IPC
STATE PASS USTR - KALVAREZ AND JBUNTIN
USDOC FOR USPTO
USDOC FOR 4250/DOC/MAC/ONE/CLOUSTAUNAU
GENEVA PASS USTR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/08
TAGS: PREL KIPR ETRD TC
SUBJECT: UAEG TAKES TOUGH STANCE ON WTO SERVICES
NEGOTIATIONS
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001030
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA AND EB/TPP/MTA/IPC
STATE PASS USTR - KALVAREZ AND JBUNTIN
USDOC FOR USPTO
USDOC FOR 4250/DOC/MAC/ONE/CLOUSTAUNAU
GENEVA PASS USTR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/08
TAGS: PREL KIPR ETRD TC
SUBJECT: UAEG TAKES TOUGH STANCE ON WTO SERVICES
NEGOTIATIONS
1. (U) Classified by DCM Richard Albright for
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).
2.(C) In advance of the March 3-6 WTO services
negotiations in Geneva, UAE Ministry of Economy Director
of WTO Affairs Saeed Al-Nasibi publicly announced
on March 2 that the UAE does not intend to open its
banking, insurance, telecommunications and other services
sectors to foreign investors at this time -- despite
expected pressure from "industrialized nations," left
unnamed, later this week. Comment: While such a position
may be unhelpful, the UAE is under no obligation to open
up those sectors it specifically set aside under the terms
of its accession to the WTO in 1996; they are in fact
"unbound," and the UAE's exemptions are indefinite in
duration. End comment.
3. (C) According to Al-Nasibi, the UAE has little incentive
to license new foreign banks because it is the "most
over-banked country in the world, based on the number
of banks per capita" -- foreign banks outnumber national
banks, 26 to 21. He elaborated, however, that foreign banks
are permitted to open representative offices here. (Note:
This is a well-worn argument of the UAE Central Bank, which
since 1987 has largely enforced a ban on new foreign full-
service banking operations. End note.) Al-Nasibi also
stated that the UAEG would continue to give preference to
UAE nationals -- in effect denying national treatment to
foreign investors -- in the services sector to encourage
citizens to invest in their country.
4. (U) According to press reports, Al-Nasibi will chair
the UAE delegation to Geneva for the March 3-6 WTO services
negotiations. Representatives from the UAE Labor Ministry,
Central Bank, Etisalat (the UAE's monopoly telecom provider),
and the Federations of Chambers of Commerce will also attend.
Wahba
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA AND EB/TPP/MTA/IPC
STATE PASS USTR - KALVAREZ AND JBUNTIN
USDOC FOR USPTO
USDOC FOR 4250/DOC/MAC/ONE/CLOUSTAUNAU
GENEVA PASS USTR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/08
TAGS: PREL KIPR ETRD TC
SUBJECT: UAEG TAKES TOUGH STANCE ON WTO SERVICES
NEGOTIATIONS
1. (U) Classified by DCM Richard Albright for
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).
2.(C) In advance of the March 3-6 WTO services
negotiations in Geneva, UAE Ministry of Economy Director
of WTO Affairs Saeed Al-Nasibi publicly announced
on March 2 that the UAE does not intend to open its
banking, insurance, telecommunications and other services
sectors to foreign investors at this time -- despite
expected pressure from "industrialized nations," left
unnamed, later this week. Comment: While such a position
may be unhelpful, the UAE is under no obligation to open
up those sectors it specifically set aside under the terms
of its accession to the WTO in 1996; they are in fact
"unbound," and the UAE's exemptions are indefinite in
duration. End comment.
3. (C) According to Al-Nasibi, the UAE has little incentive
to license new foreign banks because it is the "most
over-banked country in the world, based on the number
of banks per capita" -- foreign banks outnumber national
banks, 26 to 21. He elaborated, however, that foreign banks
are permitted to open representative offices here. (Note:
This is a well-worn argument of the UAE Central Bank, which
since 1987 has largely enforced a ban on new foreign full-
service banking operations. End note.) Al-Nasibi also
stated that the UAEG would continue to give preference to
UAE nationals -- in effect denying national treatment to
foreign investors -- in the services sector to encourage
citizens to invest in their country.
4. (U) According to press reports, Al-Nasibi will chair
the UAE delegation to Geneva for the March 3-6 WTO services
negotiations. Representatives from the UAE Labor Ministry,
Central Bank, Etisalat (the UAE's monopoly telecom provider),
and the Federations of Chambers of Commerce will also attend.
Wahba