Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI3115
2003-07-01 13:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
GCC ADOPTION OF SAUDI ARABIA'S INTERNATIONAL
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 03/21/2007 12:24:17 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS TELEGRAM July 01, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 3115 - ROUTINE) TAGS: ECON, ETRD, EIND Captions: None Subject: GCC ADOPTION OF SAUDI ARABIA'S INTERNATIONAL CONFORMITY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ UNCLAS ABU DHABI 03115 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: POL P/M AMB DCM Laser1: INFO: FCS DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: A/DCM: KVAN DE VATE DRAFTED: ECON:OJOHN CLEARED: ECON:CRUMPLER VZCZCADI641 RR RUEHC RUCPDOC RUEHZM DE RUEHAD #3115 1821344 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 011344Z JUL 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0682 RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC INFO RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003115
SIPDIS
STATE PASS USTR/STROJE AND JBUNTIN
DEPT FOR NEA/RA, NEA/ARP, INR/EC, EB/CBA
USDOC FOR 1000/OC/
USDOC FOR 4520/ITA/IEP/ONE
USDOC FOR 4530/ITA/MAC/ONE/DGUGLIELMI
4500/ITA/MAC/DAS/WILLIAMSON
3131/CS/OIO/ANESA
E.O. 12958: DECL 03/12/08
TAGS: ECON ETRD EIND WTRO GCC TC
SUBJECT: GCC ADOPTION OF SAUDI ARABIA'S INTERNATIONAL
CONFORMITY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
REF: A) USDOC 3249, B) STATE 0164, C) KUWAIT 422
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003115
SIPDIS
STATE PASS USTR/STROJE AND JBUNTIN
DEPT FOR NEA/RA, NEA/ARP, INR/EC, EB/CBA
USDOC FOR 1000/OC/
USDOC FOR 4520/ITA/IEP/ONE
USDOC FOR 4530/ITA/MAC/ONE/DGUGLIELMI
4500/ITA/MAC/DAS/WILLIAMSON
3131/CS/OIO/ANESA
E.O. 12958: DECL 03/12/08
TAGS: ECON ETRD EIND WTRO GCC TC
SUBJECT: GCC ADOPTION OF SAUDI ARABIA'S INTERNATIONAL
CONFORMITY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
REF: A) USDOC 3249, B) STATE 0164, C) KUWAIT 422
1. This is an action request. Please see para. 4
2. On July 1, the Ambassador sent a letter to Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan
and to Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Fahim Al-
Qassimi to express our concern about the GCC decision to
implement a conformity assessment program for foreign
imports similar to Saudi Arabia's International Conformity
Certification Program (ICCP). The Ambassador stressed our
belief that the program may contradict the UAE's WTO
obligations and that it might complicate the UAE's interest
in concluding a Free Trade agreement with the U.S. She
also asked that the UAE delay implementing this decision
until USG experts could discuss concerns with the UAEG in
more detail.
3. Acting DCM and Econ Chief made the same points in a
meeting with Ministry of Finance Assistant Undersecretary
Khalid Al Bustani on June 29. Al-Bustani stressed that the
UAE would not impose one set of standards on imports and
another set of standards on domestically manufactured
products. He noted, however, that the UAE needed to set
standards and that it did not have the resources to create
a set of standards on its own but would adopt GCC wide
standards. He asked for more detailed information on
specific problems with the standards themselves.
4. Action Request: Please provide post with more
information on specific USG objections to the standards
that we can pass to UAE standards experts. End Action
Request.
Wahba
SIPDIS
STATE PASS USTR/STROJE AND JBUNTIN
DEPT FOR NEA/RA, NEA/ARP, INR/EC, EB/CBA
USDOC FOR 1000/OC/
USDOC FOR 4520/ITA/IEP/ONE
USDOC FOR 4530/ITA/MAC/ONE/DGUGLIELMI
4500/ITA/MAC/DAS/WILLIAMSON
3131/CS/OIO/ANESA
E.O. 12958: DECL 03/12/08
TAGS: ECON ETRD EIND WTRO GCC TC
SUBJECT: GCC ADOPTION OF SAUDI ARABIA'S INTERNATIONAL
CONFORMITY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
REF: A) USDOC 3249, B) STATE 0164, C) KUWAIT 422
1. This is an action request. Please see para. 4
2. On July 1, the Ambassador sent a letter to Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan
and to Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Fahim Al-
Qassimi to express our concern about the GCC decision to
implement a conformity assessment program for foreign
imports similar to Saudi Arabia's International Conformity
Certification Program (ICCP). The Ambassador stressed our
belief that the program may contradict the UAE's WTO
obligations and that it might complicate the UAE's interest
in concluding a Free Trade agreement with the U.S. She
also asked that the UAE delay implementing this decision
until USG experts could discuss concerns with the UAEG in
more detail.
3. Acting DCM and Econ Chief made the same points in a
meeting with Ministry of Finance Assistant Undersecretary
Khalid Al Bustani on June 29. Al-Bustani stressed that the
UAE would not impose one set of standards on imports and
another set of standards on domestically manufactured
products. He noted, however, that the UAE needed to set
standards and that it did not have the resources to create
a set of standards on its own but would adopt GCC wide
standards. He asked for more detailed information on
specific problems with the standards themselves.
4. Action Request: Please provide post with more
information on specific USG objections to the standards
that we can pass to UAE standards experts. End Action
Request.
Wahba