Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ABUDHABI3054
2004-09-07 14:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT: NETAFIM
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 02/05/2007 05:42:48 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: UNCLAS ABU DHABI 03054 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: P/M POL AMB DCM MEPI Laser1: INFO: FCS DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: AMB:MSISON DRAFTED: ECON:OJOHN CLEARED: A/DCM:HOLSINWINDECKER, BIS:MO'BRIEN VZCZCADI375 PP RUEHC RUCPDOC DE RUEHAD #3054 2511442 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 071442Z SEP 04 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5813 INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003054
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PI
STATE PASS USTR FOR JASON BUNTIN AND DOUG BELL
USDOC FOR BIS/NWEANT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KBCT KMPI ECON ETRD TC
SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT: NETAFIM
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003054
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PI
STATE PASS USTR FOR JASON BUNTIN AND DOUG BELL
USDOC FOR BIS/NWEANT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KBCT KMPI ECON ETRD TC
SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT: NETAFIM
1. (SBU) On September 7, EconChief met with Ministry of
Finance Assistant Undersecretary Khalid Al-Bustani to
discuss efforts to resolve Arab League Boycott concerns and
specifically to see about getting the UAE to remove Netafim
USA from its list of banned companies. In an August 18
conversation, Al-Bustani said that he wanted to try and
resolve Netafim's problem quickly and requested that
EconChief facilitate a meeting between him and Netafim. He
also committed to working to solve the more systemic
problem of the secondary boycott and suggested that the USG
bring it up as a topic at the next TIFA council. (Note: We
have switched our efforts to resolve Netafim from the
Ministry of Economy and Commerce, which manages the Arab
League Boycott Office, to the Ministry of Finance and
Industry because it is the lead UAE agency on the TIFA
council, and because they have been very successful in
resolving TIFA-related issues.) Netafim has not yet
identified a Netafim official who would be able to meet
with the UAEG.
2. (SBU) EconChief explained that Netafim was incorporated
in New York and that it had a manufacturing facility in
California. It had operated in the UAE previously, but is
now on the Arab League boycott list as an Israeli company.
Al-Bustani again stated that he wanted to resolve the
problem and asked whether Netafim had responded to his
request for a meeting. After EconChief responded in the
negative, Al-Bustani said that it would be a much more
difficult and slow process to resolve the issue through the
UAE interagency absent such a meeting.
3. (SBU) Al Bustani explained that, as a member of the TIFA
Council, he could meet with Netafim representatives, hear
their concerns and use this with other agencies. Absent a
meeting, he had a weaker case: he was operating on second-
hand information and worried that his UAEG counterparts
would deprecate the problem if Netafim chose not to present
its own case. Al-Bustani promised to again talk to
Minister of State for Finance and Industry Khirbash about
how to resolve the Netafim case, but urged EconChief to
again try and facilitate a meeting with Netafim. He
suggested that, if they could not meet earlier, Netafim
officials could meet with him in Washington around the
October 4-5 TIFA council meeting.
4. (SBU) Comment and Action Request: Embassy requests that
NEA/PI contact Netafim's lawyer in Washington and urge once
again that Netafim meet with a UAEG official and to pass on
Al-Bustani's offer of an early October meeting. Al Bustani
has effectively used the Ministry's role as the lead UAE
agency on TIFA issues and the UAEG's interest in
negotiating a FTA to resolve a number of issues. Post can
attest to the effectiveness of direct meetings between
companies and the Ministry of Finance (with Embassy
facilitation and participation if the U.S. companies
desire) in resolving other issues. Both MinState Khirbash
and Al-Bustani understand that this is an important issue
to resolve. We believe that we can best facilitate this
quickly by bringing the two parties together. End Comment
and Action Request.
Sison
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PI
STATE PASS USTR FOR JASON BUNTIN AND DOUG BELL
USDOC FOR BIS/NWEANT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KBCT KMPI ECON ETRD TC
SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT: NETAFIM
1. (SBU) On September 7, EconChief met with Ministry of
Finance Assistant Undersecretary Khalid Al-Bustani to
discuss efforts to resolve Arab League Boycott concerns and
specifically to see about getting the UAE to remove Netafim
USA from its list of banned companies. In an August 18
conversation, Al-Bustani said that he wanted to try and
resolve Netafim's problem quickly and requested that
EconChief facilitate a meeting between him and Netafim. He
also committed to working to solve the more systemic
problem of the secondary boycott and suggested that the USG
bring it up as a topic at the next TIFA council. (Note: We
have switched our efforts to resolve Netafim from the
Ministry of Economy and Commerce, which manages the Arab
League Boycott Office, to the Ministry of Finance and
Industry because it is the lead UAE agency on the TIFA
council, and because they have been very successful in
resolving TIFA-related issues.) Netafim has not yet
identified a Netafim official who would be able to meet
with the UAEG.
2. (SBU) EconChief explained that Netafim was incorporated
in New York and that it had a manufacturing facility in
California. It had operated in the UAE previously, but is
now on the Arab League boycott list as an Israeli company.
Al-Bustani again stated that he wanted to resolve the
problem and asked whether Netafim had responded to his
request for a meeting. After EconChief responded in the
negative, Al-Bustani said that it would be a much more
difficult and slow process to resolve the issue through the
UAE interagency absent such a meeting.
3. (SBU) Al Bustani explained that, as a member of the TIFA
Council, he could meet with Netafim representatives, hear
their concerns and use this with other agencies. Absent a
meeting, he had a weaker case: he was operating on second-
hand information and worried that his UAEG counterparts
would deprecate the problem if Netafim chose not to present
its own case. Al-Bustani promised to again talk to
Minister of State for Finance and Industry Khirbash about
how to resolve the Netafim case, but urged EconChief to
again try and facilitate a meeting with Netafim. He
suggested that, if they could not meet earlier, Netafim
officials could meet with him in Washington around the
October 4-5 TIFA council meeting.
4. (SBU) Comment and Action Request: Embassy requests that
NEA/PI contact Netafim's lawyer in Washington and urge once
again that Netafim meet with a UAEG official and to pass on
Al-Bustani's offer of an early October meeting. Al Bustani
has effectively used the Ministry's role as the lead UAE
agency on TIFA issues and the UAEG's interest in
negotiating a FTA to resolve a number of issues. Post can
attest to the effectiveness of direct meetings between
companies and the Ministry of Finance (with Embassy
facilitation and participation if the U.S. companies
desire) in resolving other issues. Both MinState Khirbash
and Al-Bustani understand that this is an important issue
to resolve. We believe that we can best facilitate this
quickly by bringing the two parties together. End Comment
and Action Request.
Sison