Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ABUDHABI4655
2004-12-20 10:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

UAEG WILL PURSUE FTA WITH THE USG: DISAGREES WITH

Tags:  ETRD ECON PREL PINR GCC TC 
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Diana T Fritz 12/19/2006 04:38:54 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results

Cable 
Text: 
 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 04655

SIPDIS
CXABU:
 ACTION: AMB
 INFO: ECON POL DCM

DISSEMINATION: AMB
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: CDA:RALBRIGHT
DRAFTED: ECON:OJOHN
CLEARED: NONE

VZCZCADI710
PP RUEHC RUEHZM RUEHDE RHEHNSC
DE RUEHAD #4655 3551042
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 201042Z DEC 04
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7331
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 4645
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 004655 

SIPDIS

STATE PASS USTR FOR NOVELLI AND BELL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2029
TAGS: ETRD ECON PREL PINR GCC TC
SUBJECT: UAEG WILL PURSUE FTA WITH THE USG: DISAGREES WITH
SAUDIS' POLITICIZING THE ISSUE (C-NE4-01168)

REF: A. STATE 267492

B. ABU DHABI 4504

(U) Classified by charge d'affaires a.i. richard albright for
reasons 1.4 (b, d, and c)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 004655

SIPDIS

STATE PASS USTR FOR NOVELLI AND BELL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2029
TAGS: ETRD ECON PREL PINR GCC TC
SUBJECT: UAEG WILL PURSUE FTA WITH THE USG: DISAGREES WITH
SAUDIS' POLITICIZING THE ISSUE (C-NE4-01168)

REF: A. STATE 267492

B. ABU DHABI 4504

(U) Classified by charge d'affaires a.i. richard albright for
reasons 1.4 (b, d, and c)


1. (C) On December 18, Charge and MFA Undersecretary Abdullah
Rashid Al-Noaimi discussed Saudi pressure on Bahrain to back
away from its FTA with the U.S. and the possible impact on
the GCC summit. Al-Noaimi reiterated UAE commitment to
negotiating an FTA with the U.S. He said that he did not
understand why the Saudis were putting such strong pressure
on the Bahrainis, adding, "they (the Saudis) signed their own
TIFA, then they flipped."


2. (C) Al-Noaimi acknowledged the need to address legitimate
Saudi concerns about the impact of an FTA on the GCC customs
union. He added, however, that the UAE viewed this as a
technical issue that called for a technical solution. The
UAE did not agree, he said, with the Saudis on two major
points: one, elevating the problem from a technical to a
political level; and two, tying the FTA issue to other GCC
issues. He noted that differences inevitably arise in a
regional bloc, but that these differences shouldn't affect
other areas of cooperation. He emphasized that the Saudis
shouldn't try to "strangle" Bahrain in the area of goods
exports or oil. He added that the UAE was pushing to keep
this issue off the agenda of the heads of state meeting.
(Note: Based on press reporting, it is not clear how
successful the UAE will be.)


3. (C) Al-Noaimi briefly discussed the recent visit of UAE
President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed to Saudi Arabia. He said
that the UAE had sought Saudi concurrence to host the next
GCC summit in the UAE. (Note: The UAE had agreed with
Bahrain that Bahrain would host the 2004 GCC summit. It was
not clear, whether the UAE had given up its turn or switched
with the Bahrainis.) He said that the issue of the FTA did
not come up in discussion during Sheikh Khalifa's visit.


4. (C) Finally, Al-Noaimi stated that the UAEG had held a
meeting, on December 15 with all of the relevant ministers,
to formulate a UAEG position on the FTA in advance of the GCC
summit. The ministers reiterated that the UAEG would proceed
with its bilateral negotiations with the U.S. and would seek
technical solutions to address Saudi concerns. He added that
the UAE, Qatar, and Oman were all backing Bahrain's decision
to stand firm against Saudi pressure, and asked what steps
the USG was taking to convince the Saudis to "cool it."


5. (C) Comment: The Emiratis are clearly irritated about what
they see as "heavy handed" Saudi tactics. That said, they
don't intend to let Saudi opposition prevent them from taking
actions that they see are in their own national interest,
namely negotiating an FTA with the U.S.
ALBRIGHT