EXBS LEGAL AND TECHNICAL FORUM GOES VERY WELL

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 005435 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NP FOR KCROUCH, DOC/BIS FOR RCUPITT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC PARM PREL TC SUBJECT: EXBS LEGAL AND TECHNICAL FORUM GOES VERY WELL REF: A) ABU DHABI 5160, B) STATE 331636, C) STATE 289173 ¶1. This is an action request. Please see para 5. ¶2. A State-Commerce team visited Abu Dhabi from December 14th to 16th to hold a Legal/Technical Forum with the UAEG under the auspices of the State Department's Export Control and Related Border Security Program. The forum was well attended by representatives of the UAE's MFA, MoJ, Federal Customs Authority, Dubai and Abu Dhabi Customs, MoI, the Armed Forces, the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency, UAE Military, and various police departments. According to Yacoub Al-Hossani, the MFA's Director of Organizations and International Affairs (and former head of the MFA's Legal Affairs Department),he had hand picked the attendees. ¶3. The program was very successful, with a lively and frank exchange of questions and information between the U.S. delegation and the UAE participants. Unlike in some previous meetings, there were no questions about "why does the UAE need this?" The participants understood that it was in the UAE's national security interest to control exports and transshipments of WMD and components. The participants wanted to know how to draft an export control law and how to fit USG suggestions to the UAE's legal and regulatory environment. They also wanted to be sure that the UAEG fulfilled its international treaty commitments. ¶4. The U.S. side presented a draft template that the UAEG could use in drafting its own export control law. Based on discussion in the forum and information that the UAE provided on its existing legal and regulatory framework, the delegation committed to providing a revised draft framework by the end of January. ¶5. In sidebar conversations between Econchief, delegation head Kathy Crouch, and Yacoub Al-Hossani, Al-Hossani discussed his views about next steps. He said that he planned to pick a small interagency group of UAEG officials that would deal with export control legal issues. They would be able to develop the expertise needed on the issue and the UAEG wouldn't need to "reinvent the wheel" every time there was a conference or training session. He also solicited the USG's help with drafting legislation. ¶6. Comment and Action Request: This was a very successful session, both from the point of view of the USG and the UAEG. We should be able to use this and the equally successful WMD Awareness course (concurrently held in Dubai) to reenergize the export control road map. Post plans to coordinate with the Department on shifting around training programs to respond to the UAEG's request for practical, focused training programs on legal issues and inspection/investigation techniques. We also request that Washington provide a revised draft legal template as soon as possible that we can transmit to the UAEG. End Comment and Action Request. ¶7. The delegation included Kathy Crouch of State/NP and Christine Lee, Judith Currie, and Rick Phipps, representing Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security. BIS Export Control Attache Mary O'Brien, representing the US embassy, participated as a presenter. ¶8. Delegation Head NP/ECC Kathy Crouch cleared this cable. WAHBA