PRIORITY OF PSI SHIP BOARDING AGREEMENTS -

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001157 SIPDIS STATE FOR NP AND NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2014 TAGS: MNUC PARM PGOV PHSA PREL KTIA TC SUBJECT: PRIORITY OF PSI SHIP BOARDING AGREEMENTS - UAE ACTION PLAN Ref: (A) State 79456, (B) State 79091, (C) State 65561, (D) 03 State 272470, (E) 03 State 254587, (F) 03 Abu Dhabi 2988 Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba, reasons 1.4 (a),(d) and (h). ¶1. (C) Summary: Post concurs with Ref B statements about the Proliferation Security Initiative's (PSI) importance, and understands that concluding ship boarding agreements is a high priority. Senior UAE Government officials at the second round of Strategic Partnership talks in Abu Dhabi on March 21 expressed interest in how the UAE could play a role in the PSI. The Deputy Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi told the Ambassador on April 11 that he welcomed receiving the information on our ship boarding agreement and the UAE is interested in principle. He has asked us to work with his Deputy COS of the Armed Forces and a meeting is now scheduled for the week of April 17th to discuss a PSI ship boarding agreement. End Summary. ¶2. (C) U/S Bolton previewed PSI with the UAEG during his visit here in June 2003 (Ref F),and post has delivered PSI points, including the Statement of Interdiction Principles in the summer and fall of 2003 (Refs D,E). More recently, post has delivered Ref A points on the PSI anniversary meeting, urging the UAEG to make a public statement of support for the PSI and its Statement of Interdiction Principles by mid-April. Post also has delivered Ref C points and a draft ship boarding agreement. Our aim is to determine the UAEG's receptivity to a PSI boarding agreement. ¶3. (C) The Ambassador met with Shaykh Mohammed bin Zayed and discussed the ship boarding agreement. Shaykh Mohammed expressed interest in the agreement. He told the Ambassador that he had forwarded the information to Deputy Armed Forces COS, Major General Hamed Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithy with instructions to work with the Embassy on the dossier. ¶4. (SBU) USLO Chief and Polchief will meet with Deputy Armed Forces COS and staff to reinforce the importance of a ship boarding agreement with the UAE, as well as the USG's willingness to send a delegation to the UAE to assist with negotiations. We will provide an update of our PSI action plan after our meeting the week of April 17th with Deputy Armed Forces COS MGen Hamed Thani. WAHBA