TRADE BANK OF IRAQ DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO THE UAEG

1. (U) Classified by Charge D'Affaires, a.i. Richard A.
Albright, for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D).



2. (C) Summary. Charge D'Affaires passed reftel points
and non-paper 8/31 to UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Assistant Undersecretary for Political Affairs Abdullah
Rashid Al-Nuami, and Econoff separately discussed the Iraq
Trade Bank with Ministry of Finance Assistant
Undersecretary for Budget and Revenue Khalid Al-Bustani.
Prior to Post's receiving the demarche, Treasury Department
Senior International Advisors Teresa Rutledge and Rick
Bloom visited the UAE 8/19-20 to discuss in depth the Trade
Bank of Iraq with UAEG officials and the Arab Monetary Fund
(AMF), headquartered in Abu Dhabi. Although the AMF's Arab
Trade Financing Program (ATFP) provides financing
facilities for trade transactions of goods of Arab origin,
Iraq owes millions in arrears to the AMF and is not
eligible to participate in the ATFP. The UAE does not have
its own export credit agency, but a Ministry of Finance
official suggested that UAE commercial banks might be
willing to take on the extra risks of shipping goods to
Iraq in order to be one of the first international banks in
what is expected to be a lucrative market. End summary.



3. (C) The Treasury officials explained the purpose of the
newly established Trade Bank of Iraq 8/19 to AMF Director-
General Dr. Jassim Al-Mannai. He noted that the AMF's
subsidiary, the Arab Trade Financing Program provides
financing facilities for eligible trade transactions of
goods of Arab origin and associated services.



4. (U) The Arab Trade Financing Program (ATFP) is a
specialized multi Arab financial institution headquartered
in Abu Dhabi. ATFP was established in 1989 with a paid up
capital of USD $50 million. Forty-four shareholders,
including Arab financial institutions, regional monetary
funds, central banks and public and private banking
institutions, contribute to the Program's capital.



5. (C) Al-Mannai admitted, however, that Iraq owes an
approximate $189 million in principal debt and $179 million
in unpaid interest to the AMF and therefore is not eligible
to participate in the ATFP. Al-Mannai earlier had told the
Ambassador that the AMF would take its direction on
multilateral Iraqi debt from the IMF -- i.e. that there
would be rescheduling, but probably little or no
forgiveness.



6. (C) The Treasury officials subsequently discussed the
Iraq Trade Bank with UAE Central Bank Governor Sultan
Nasser Al-Suweidi and Ministry of Finance Assistant
Undersecretary Khalid Al-Bustani. Although the UAE does
not have its own export credit agency (both interlocutors
suggested the Trade Bank of Iraq work with the AMF and
AFTP), Al-Bustani intimated that UAE commercial banks might
be willing to take on the extra risks involved in shipping
goods to Iraq in order to get their foot in the door. He
undertook to broach the idea with some of his local banking
contacts and relay their responses to Post.



7. (U) Ms. Rutledge and Mr. Bloom did not have the
opportunity to clear on this cable.

Albright