C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000299

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NP/NPC/ECNP FOR KCROUCH, LONDON
AND ROME FOR CUSTOMS ATTACHES, DOC/BIS FOR RCUPPITT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/19/2013
TAGS: ETTC PARM PREL PTER KSTC TC
SUBJECT: UAEG FORMING CABINET LEVEL COMMITTEE
TO MANAGE EXPORT CONTROLS PORTFOLIO


1. (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba,
Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D).


2. (C) During a 1/14 meeting with MFA Minstate Hamdan Bin
Zayid Al-Nahyan (other topics reported septel), the
Ambassador pressed Hamdan and MFA Assistant Undersecretary
Abdullah Rashid Al-Nuaimi on the need to jumpstart the
export controls training initiatives put on hold since
October 2002. She noted that this issue was center stage
during the Bilateral Dialogue and that we were eager to move
forward as soon as possible. She hoped that the UAEG could
schedule the WMD Commodity Identification Course in
February.


3. (C) Hamdan briefed that the MFA had run up against
roadblocks in the UAE "interagency" process and had been
unable to recruit the high quality of attendees merited for
this training. Hamdan wants to avoid a potentially
embarrassing situation if the wrong candidates are put
forward for training. He has decided to take up the matter
at the next Cabinet meeting, scheduled for 1/27, where he
will recommend the formation of a Cabinet-level committee to
manage the portfolio. Through this mechanism, Hamdan hopes
to achieve "buy-in" from his ministerial colleagues.


4. (C) Comment: Hamdan and his subordinates at the MFA are
clearly frustrated by the bureaucratic inertia which has
impeded progress on our bilateral EXBS agenda. Previously
the Ministry of Economy and Commerce was deemed responsible
for federal-level customs issues (a key element in the
planned EXBS training road-map) and did a lackluster job
organizing a program for a visiting USG team on "Trade-Based
Money Laundering." By bumping export controls up to the
Cabinet level, Hamdan is placing the issue on the
national/federal agenda, where it rightly belongs, given its
importance to our relationship and the UAE's national
security.

WAHBA