EXBS NATIONAL CONTROL LIST WORKSHOP, APRIL 24-

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001445

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/LMALENAS AND NP/ECC/KCROUCH
USDOC FOR BIS/OUS/RCUPITT

TAGS: ETTC PARM PREL PTER KSTC TC
E.O. 12958:N/A
SUBJECT: EXBS NATIONAL CONTROL LIST WORKSHOP, APRIL 24-
26, 2004, WELL RECEIVED IN THE UAE


1. Summary: During April 24-26, 2004, the UAEG hosted
the U.S.-UAE National Control List workshop in Abu
Dhabi. The session, a follow-up to the Legal Technical
Seminar held here in December 2003, was attended by a
variety of UAEG officials, despite the short notice for
the program. The presentations on both U.S. and
European control lists were favorably received and
generated much discussion among the UAE attendees. On
several occasions, attendees questioned how a future
UAE export control program might be reconciled with the
UAE's membership in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
Customs Union, which is designed to allow barrier-free
trade among the member nations. The attendees
suggested the U.S. should consider expanding its export
control cooperation efforts to the GCC as a whole,
possibly creating something along the lines of the EU
Code of Conduct for export controls. End Summary


2. The U.S.-UAE National Control List workshop, held
in Abu Dhabi, during April 24-26, 2004, was generally
well attended (see para 5 below). The attendees for
this workshop represented the Ministries of Foreign
Affairs, Justice, Interior and Defense, as well as the
Federal Customs Authority, Abu Dhabi Customs, Dubai
Customs, and Dubai Police. Most of the attendees also
had attended the Legal Technical Seminar in December

2003. Six of the attendees at the National Control
List Workshop will be attending the Global
Transshipment Conference in Malta during May 11-14,

2004. Such consistent attendance by a core group of
UAE officials helps build a good knowledge base within
the UAEG.


3. A notable addition to the U.S. presentations was
that of John King, representing the United Kingdom's
Department of Trade and Industry. His presentations
allowed the participants to get a look at how the EU
approaches export control as a union of member states.


4. One major issue raised by the UAE participants was
how to reconcile any UAE export control system with the
UAE's membership in the GCC Customs Union, which is
designed to allow barrier-free trade among the six GCC
countries. A few attendees commented that a unilateral
UAE export control system might be inconsistent with
their membership in the GCC Customs Union. However,
rather than pull back from the concept of a UAE export
control system, several attendees recommended that the
U.S. should expand its efforts in export control
cooperation to the GCC as a whole. Post officers in
attendance felt that the EU Code of Conduct on export
controls discussed by John King might make a good long-
term model for the GCC.


5. There were some logistical problems due to the short
three-week notice given by the interagency in
Washington, D.C. Some higher-level individuals who
would have otherwise attended could not because they
had not been given adequate notice in order to clear
their schedules for a full three days. During
preparation for the workshop, it became evident that a
minimum of one month's notice by Washington is required
to give notice to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
after which the hosts will locate a venue and make
other necessary logistical arrangements. But more
importantly, more time will allow the host government
to identify and invite participants, ensuring that
invitees can reserve time in their schedules to attend
the program.

ALBRIGHT