Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI4793
2003-10-29 03:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

AMERICAN CORNERS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Tags:  KIRC KPAO TC 
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Diana T Fritz 03/20/2007 04:05:52 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results

Cable 
Text: 
 
 
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS
TELEGRAM October 29, 2003


To: No Action Addressee 

Action: Unknown 

From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 4793 - ROUTINE) 

TAGS: KIRC, KPAO 

Captions: None 

Subject: AMERICAN CORNERS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 

Ref: None 
_________________________________________________________________
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 04793

SIPDIS
CXABU:
 ACTION: CDA 
 INFO: POL ECON 

DISSEMINATION: CDA
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: CDA:RALBRIGHT
DRAFTED: PAO:NIBRAHIM
CLEARED: PAO:HOLSIN-WINDCKER

VZCZCADI172
RR RUEHC RUEHZM RUEHVI RUEHAM
DE RUEHAD #4793/01 3020301
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290301Z OCT 03
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2231
INFO RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 0129
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0461
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 004793 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IIP/G/IR-BCONATY; NEA/PPD-JDAVIES; VIENNA FOR
RPO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KIRC KPAO TC
SUBJECT: AMERICAN CORNERS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

REF: (A) STATE 198601 (B) STATE 273900

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 004793

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IIP/G/IR-BCONATY; NEA/PPD-JDAVIES; VIENNA FOR
RPO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KIRC KPAO TC
SUBJECT: AMERICAN CORNERS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

REF: (A) STATE 198601 (B) STATE 273900


1. POST REQUESTS 3 (THREE) AMERICAN CORNER COLLECTIONS
AND SUPPORTING EQUIPMENT TO BE HOSTED AT THREE UAE
INSTITUTIONS LISTED BELOW. POST ESTIMATES THE COST OF
EACH CORNER AT APPROXIMATELY USD 75,100. BASED ON MODULE
COSTS PROVIDED BY IRO MENDELSOHN AND CURRENT PROCUREMENT
COSTS OF EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES.


2. PAO HILARY OLSIN-WINDECKER AND IRO HENRY MENDELSOHN
WILL PROVIDE OVERSIGHT FOR THIS PROJECT.


3. JUSTIFICATION: POST IS IN THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING THE
FIRST AMERICAN CORNER AT THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY IN
THE CITY OF AL-AIN. WE ARE REQUESTING TWO NEW COLLECTIONS FOR TWO
INSTITUTIONS IN THE NORTHERN EMIRATES, BACKWATERS IN THE
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SPHERES AND SOCIALLY CONSERVATIVE, HOMES
OF TWO OF THE 9/11 HIJACKERS. THE THIRD WILL BE IN ABU DHABI AT
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF THE APEX CULTURAL CENTER OF THE CAPITAL.
THE AMERICAN CORNERS WILL HELP SUPPORT MISSION GOALS AS DESCRIBED
IN PARA 4. WE ARE REQUESTING MODULES AND MATERIALS TO STRENGTHEN
CIVIL SOCIETY, AND HELP SUPPORT HIGHER EDUCATION, EDUCATIONAL
ADVISING, ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING, AND UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN
CULTURE AND VALUES.


3. THE THREE REQUESTED AMERICAN CORNERS ARE FOR THE FOLLOWING
INSTITUTIONS:

- "HAI'AT AL BAHTH WAL MUTABA'A", RESEARCH AND FOLLOW UP
AUTHORITY, EMIRI DEWAN, RAS AL KHAIMAH: THE AMERICAN CORNER WILL
BE PLACED AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF THIS RESEARCH CENTER. IT WILL
ENHANCE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN THE POOR EMIRATE OF RAS AL
KHAIMAH AND PROVIDE A PROGRAMMING VENUE IN THIS REMOTE LOCATION.
THE CULTURAL/EDUCATIONAL ADVISOR TO THE CROWN PRINCE OF RAS AL
KHAIMAH, DR. HASSAN ALKEEM, IS A POLITICAL SCIENTIST, FORMER
FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR, AND ISLAMIC SCHOLAR. POST BELIEVES THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO PROGRAM TO THE CONSERVATIVE ELITE OF THIS EMIRATE
TO ENHANCE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF AMERICAN VALUES AND PROMOTE A
BILATERAL DIALOGUE ON ISSUES CRUCIAL TO REGIONAL STABILITY. THE
CENTER WILL SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR TWO PUBLIC TECHNICAL HIGHER
EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY AND THE GENERAL
PUBLIC.

- FUJEIRAH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURE: THE
SECOND AMERICAN CORNER WILL BE PLACED AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THE EMIRATE OF FUJEIRAH. THIS EMIRATE
IS ON THE EASTERN COAST OF THE UAE ON THE SEA OF OMAN. IT IS
ANOTHER ONE OF THE LESS ADVANTAGED EMIRATES OF THE UAE AT A

DISTANCE OF 350 KILOMETERS FROM THE CAPITAL. THE AMERICAN CORNER
WILL BE THE ONLY WESTERN REFERENCE COLLECTION IN THE EMIRATE AND
WILL SERVE AS WELL AS A PROGRAMMING VENUE FOR PD PROGRAMS. IN THE
PAST, POST USED ONE OF THE POORLY BUILT PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO CONDUCT
A TEACHER TRAINING ENGLISH LANGUAGE WORKSHOP.

- NATIONAL LIBRARY OF THE ABU DHABI CULTURAL FOUNDATION: THE
CULTURAL FOUNDATION IS THE MOST PROMINENT CULTURAL CENTER IN THE
CAPITAL CITY OF ABU DHABI. THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVES THE STUDENT
COMMUNITY, PROFESSIONALS IN VARIOUS FIELDS, AS WELL AS GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS. POST WILL USE THE AMERICAN CORNER AS A VENUE FOR
CONDUCTING TRAINING WORKSHOPS AND HOSTING SPEAKERS. ALTHOUGH THE
ABU DHABI CULTURAL FOUNDATION HAS A MAGNIFICENT FACILITY, THE
NATIONAL LIBRARY HAS NO AMERICAN REFERENCE MATERIALS. IN THE
ABSENCE OF AN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER IN ABU DHABI, THE AMERICAN
CORNER AT THE NATIONAL LIBRARY WILL ACT AS A PRIMARY PROGRAMMING
VENUE.


4. ESTABLISHMENT OF AMERICAN CORNERS WILL SUPPORT TWO FY 2004 MPP
STRATEGIES: REGIONAL STABILITY. PERFORMANCE GOAL # 2: RS.02

-- IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM AND THE ONGOING
MIDDLE EAST CRISES, AMERICAN CORNERS WILL ENHANCE OUR OUTREACH TO
EMIRATIS TO CONVEY BALANCED VIEWS OF THE U.S.
STRATEGY # 3: FOSTER GREATER RESPECT FOR DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES
AND THE RULE OF LAW.

-- TACTICS:

STRENGTHEN CIVIL SOCIETY: THROUGH SPEAKER PROGRAMS,
INTERNATIONAL VISITORS AND CITIZENS' EXCHANGE GRANTS, STRENGTHEN
DEVELOPMENT OF INSTITUTIONS (ACADEMIC, MEDIA AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS) AND WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC LIFE AND
ENCOURAGE GREATER FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. (PAO)

SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION: EXPOSE EMIRATIS TO THE ELEMENTS OF A
DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY THROUGH VIGOROUS SUPPORT FOR STUDY BY UAE
NATIONALS IN THE US (PAO, USLO)


5. THE AMERICAN CORNERS WILL HELP STRENGTHEN CIVIL SOCIETY BY
PROVIDING A WINDOW INTO AMERICAN LIFE AND CULTURE, PROVIDE
BUSINESS RESOURCES FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, AND PROVIDE A PLATFORM
FOR US SPEAKERS AND VOLUNTARY SPEAKERS DRAWN FROM THE MANY
AMERICANS LIVING IN THE UAE. THEY WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR
R
EDUCATION BY PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL ADVISING MATERIALS AND ENGLISH
LANGUAGE TEACHING RESOURCES AND BY PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR OUR
EDUCATIONAL ADVISOR TO WORK OUTSIDE THE EMBASSY AND FOR AMERICANS
TO GIVE TALKS TO LOCAL AUDIENCES TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND A
VARIETY OF AMERICAN VOICES, EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVES.

6. WE ARE REQUESTING DVC EQUIPMENT IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE
HOST INSTITUTION TO ORGANIZE DVCS WITH AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS,
SUCH AS SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC LIBRARIES, AND PCS TO FACILITATE
ACCESSING THE INTERNET, ESPECIALLY US WEBSITES.


7. POST HAS ALREADY PURCHASED AN AMERICAN CORNER FOR THE UNITED
ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF AL AIN. THIS FIRST
AMERICAN CORNER IS ON SCHEDULE TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE UNITED
ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY BY MID WINTER AND WILL SERVE AS THE
MODEL FOR THE ABOVE REQUESTED CORNERS. IF WE RECEIVE FUNDING FOR
ALL THREE CORNERS WE WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF FOUR IN THE UAE, ONE IN
THE CENTRALLY LOCATED CITY OF AL AIN, TWO IN THE STRATEGICALLY
IMPORTANT NORTHERN EMIRATES AND ONE IN THE CAPITAL CITY IN THE
APEX CULTURAL CENTER.



8. DETAILED BUDGET BREAKDOWN

ESTIMATED PRICE FOR ONE AMERICAN CORNER IN THE UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES:

MODULE PRICE VOLUMES

ADVISING REFERENCE $2,608.23 56
AMERICAN HISTORY I CORE $3362.35 49
AMERICAN HISTORY II NON CORE $1710.20 50
BIOGRAPHY $1711.74 70
BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS $72.00 3
BUSINESS INFORMATION $1,983.67 14
CD-ROMS $5,409.25 24
EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION $2,195.22 28
ENGLISH TEACHING $5,908.46 207
FICTION $1,573.50 114
NON-FICTION $2265.82 121
REFERENCE: CORE $6,902.97 91
VIDEOCASSETTES MODULE $4068.60 29
SUB-TOTAL: $39772.01 856


LIBRARY/MULTI-MEDIA RESOURCES:

ADDITIONAL 250 VOLUMES $7,500.00 250
150 EDUCATIONAL/CULTURAL FILMS $4,000.00 150
(TO BE SPENT AT DISCRETION OF RECEIVING INSTITUTION)
SUB-TOTAL: $11,500.00 1256

COMPUTER/MULTIMEDIA EQUIPMENT:

FOUR-POINT POLYCOM DVC EQUIPMENT $9,400.00
34-INCH MULTI-SYSTEM TV MONITOR $800.00
4 MULTI-SYSTEM VCRS $1,000.00
3 DESKTOP PENTIUM COMPUTERS $6,000.00
1 LASER PRINTER $1,000.00
1 SCANNER $200.00
SUB-TOTAL: $17,400.00

SUB-TOTAL: $ 68672.01

ADD 5% FOR POSSIBLE PRICE INCREASE ON EQUIPMENT AND
MATERIALS.
5%=$3422.5595.

$ 68672.01
$ 3,422.55
COST OF FURNITURE AND SHELVING $ 3000

TOTAL: $ 75094.56

$75,094.56 X 3 AMERICAN CORNERS FOR THE UAE= $225,283.68
ALBRIGHT