Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ABUDHABI1881
2004-06-07 13:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAE DETAINS IRANIAN FISHING VESSEL
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 02/06/2007 05:43:38 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: CONFIDENTIAL SIPDIS TELEGRAM June 07, 2004 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 1881 - UNKNOWN) TAGS: PREL, MOPS Captions: None Subject: UAE DETAINS IRANIAN FISHING VESSEL Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 01881 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: POL INFO: DAO RSO P/M AMB DCM ECON DISSEMINATION: POL CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: A/DCM:HOLSIN-WINDECK DRAFTED: POL:JFMAYBURY CLEARED: DAO:MWEAVER VZCZCADI923 OO RUEHC RUEHZM DE RUEHAD #1881 1591312 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 071312Z JUN 04 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4658 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001881
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/NGA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2009
TAGS: PREL MOPS IR TC
SUBJECT: UAE DETAINS IRANIAN FISHING VESSEL
(U) Classified by Acting Deputy Chief of Mission
Hilary Olsin-Windecker, reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001881
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/NGA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2009
TAGS: PREL MOPS IR TC
SUBJECT: UAE DETAINS IRANIAN FISHING VESSEL
(U) Classified by Acting Deputy Chief of Mission
Hilary Olsin-Windecker, reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)
1. (C) The UAE Coast Guard has seized an Iranian
fishing boat that had entered UAE territorial waters,
according to reports in the local press and confirmed
by Embassy government contacts on June 7. The
incident, which took place on June 2, made the front
page of the English language Gulf News and was also
reported in the Arabic Al-Ittihad. Press reports say
the vessel's crew were detained and referred to the
UAE authorities, but provided no other details. An
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as
saying that the ministry "has taken action and talked
to the UAE embassy. Our embassy in Abu Dhabi is
active in this matter, so as soon as possible those
who have been taken will be freed."
2. (C) A UAE government contact told us that the
vessel, described by the Islamic Republic News Agency
(IRNA) as a trawler, had come too close to some of the
UAE's oil platforms in the Arabian Gulf and was in UAE
territorial waters. The UAE Coast Guard twice queried
the vessel's occupants, then fired warning shots.
When the vessel still did not respond, the Coast
stopped it and seized its crew.
3. (U) The report of the fishing boat incident came a
day after the press reported that GCC foreign
ministers meeting in Riyadh had discussed the long-
standing occupation by Iran of the UAE's three islands
of Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Mussa. The
islands issue comes up frequently at GCC meetings and
annually at UNGA. GCC foreign ministers issued a
statement expressing the hope that contacts between
Iran and the UAE would lead to peaceful settlement of
the problem. The GCC position is that the three
islands and surrounding areas are integral parts of
the UAE's territory. IRNA reported that an Iranian
foreign ministry spokesman said that the fishing boat
incident was not linked to the spat between the two
countries over the three islands.
4. (C) Comment: The fishing boat incident involving
the UAE and Iran is noteworthy because it raises to
the surface again the sensitive and delicate islands
issue for which Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs Shaykh HAMDAN bin Zayed Al-
Nahyan is responsible. Shaykh HAMDAN has not held
high-level talks with the Iranians in at least 18
months, but may want to do so depending on the outcome
of the boat incident. The one puzzling aspect of the
boat incident is that it occurred on June 2, but was
not reported by the Iranian press until June 6, and by
the UAE press until June 7. We will follow up with
our contacts to get more details and to find out what
the UAE plans to do next.
WAHBA
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/NGA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2009
TAGS: PREL MOPS IR TC
SUBJECT: UAE DETAINS IRANIAN FISHING VESSEL
(U) Classified by Acting Deputy Chief of Mission
Hilary Olsin-Windecker, reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)
1. (C) The UAE Coast Guard has seized an Iranian
fishing boat that had entered UAE territorial waters,
according to reports in the local press and confirmed
by Embassy government contacts on June 7. The
incident, which took place on June 2, made the front
page of the English language Gulf News and was also
reported in the Arabic Al-Ittihad. Press reports say
the vessel's crew were detained and referred to the
UAE authorities, but provided no other details. An
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as
saying that the ministry "has taken action and talked
to the UAE embassy. Our embassy in Abu Dhabi is
active in this matter, so as soon as possible those
who have been taken will be freed."
2. (C) A UAE government contact told us that the
vessel, described by the Islamic Republic News Agency
(IRNA) as a trawler, had come too close to some of the
UAE's oil platforms in the Arabian Gulf and was in UAE
territorial waters. The UAE Coast Guard twice queried
the vessel's occupants, then fired warning shots.
When the vessel still did not respond, the Coast
stopped it and seized its crew.
3. (U) The report of the fishing boat incident came a
day after the press reported that GCC foreign
ministers meeting in Riyadh had discussed the long-
standing occupation by Iran of the UAE's three islands
of Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Mussa. The
islands issue comes up frequently at GCC meetings and
annually at UNGA. GCC foreign ministers issued a
statement expressing the hope that contacts between
Iran and the UAE would lead to peaceful settlement of
the problem. The GCC position is that the three
islands and surrounding areas are integral parts of
the UAE's territory. IRNA reported that an Iranian
foreign ministry spokesman said that the fishing boat
incident was not linked to the spat between the two
countries over the three islands.
4. (C) Comment: The fishing boat incident involving
the UAE and Iran is noteworthy because it raises to
the surface again the sensitive and delicate islands
issue for which Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs Shaykh HAMDAN bin Zayed Al-
Nahyan is responsible. Shaykh HAMDAN has not held
high-level talks with the Iranians in at least 18
months, but may want to do so depending on the outcome
of the boat incident. The one puzzling aspect of the
boat incident is that it occurred on June 2, but was
not reported by the Iranian press until June 6, and by
the UAE press until June 7. We will follow up with
our contacts to get more details and to find out what
the UAE plans to do next.
WAHBA