Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ABUDHABI2090
2005-05-10 09:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

TOUR D'HORIZON WITH DEPUTY PM SHEIKH HAMDAN

Tags:  PREL PHUM CJAN KNNP PK GZ IZ WEU TC 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002090 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2010
TAGS: PREL PHUM CJAN KNNP PK GZ IZ WEU TC
SUBJECT: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH DEPUTY PM SHEIKH HAMDAN

REF: A. (A) STATE 79107


B. (B) STATE 84867

C. (C) STATE 76244

D. (D) ABU DHABI 1680

Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002090

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2010
TAGS: PREL PHUM CJAN KNNP PK GZ IZ WEU TC
SUBJECT: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH DEPUTY PM SHEIKH HAMDAN

REF: A. (A) STATE 79107


B. (B) STATE 84867

C. (C) STATE 76244

D. (D) ABU DHABI 1680

Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State
for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed (HbZ) and
Ambassador met May 8 to review developments in Iraq and
U.S.-UAE relations. At our urging, the UAE issued a
statement May 9 welcoming the newly formed Iraqi government.
HbZ agreed that it was important to keep U.S.-UAE judicial
cooperation on track and said he would speak to the concerned
Ministries about setting dates for the next round of Mutual
Legal Assistance Treaty negotiations in Abu Dhabi. He
listened to Ambassador's pitch on Proliferation Security
Initiative endorsement but offered no commitments. HbZ
expressed his government's full commitment to eliminating the
underage camel jockey problem. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Attending the meeting were HbZ's office director
Ambassador Sultan Al Romeithi; Pol Chief; and G/TIP Reports
Officer Feleke Assefa.

Iraq
--------------


3. (C) Ambassador delivered Ref. A points encouraging the
UAEG to make an official statement welcoming the formation of
the Iraqi Transitional Government and underscoring support
for Iraq's reconstruction and political transition. HbZ said
the UAEG had been waiting for the Iraqi Cabinet to be
completed before issuing a public statement. He and
Ambassador briefly discussed that afternoon's breaking news
of the appointment of Defense Minister Al Duleimi and three
other Sunni cabinet members, noting that Al Shibli had turned
down the nomination. Recalling HbZ's visit in April with
Senior Iraq Coordinator Ambassador Dick Jones (Ref. D),the
Ambassador told HbZ that the USG appreciated the UAEG,s
perspective on Iraq and looked forward to further
consultations on Iraq's political process. HbZ said that he
discussed his meeting with Ambassador Dick Jones with Iyad
Allawi when Allawi visited Abu Dhabi in April. HbZ said he

expected to speak with Allawi again May 8 on the cabinet
nominations. (Note: On May 9, the UAE Cabinet hailed the
final formation of the new Iraqi government -- septel. We
understand from those who met with Allawi during his recent
Abu Dhabi stop that the Abu Dhabi leadership continues to
support Allawi, including providing assistance in setting up
a television station in Iraq with an associated office in
Dubai.)

Proliferation Security Initiative
--------------


4. (C) Drawing from points in Ref. B, the Ambassador urged
the UAEG to endorse the Proliferation Security Initiative
(PSI) prior to the May 31 second anniversary of the
initiative. The Ambassador noted that Under Secretary John
Bolton and other U.S. officials had discussed PSI with UAE
officials during recent visits, and that it was important for
countries to endorse PSI as a way to control the spread of
WMD and to deepen operational cooperation in this area. HbZ
instructed his office director to follow up with the UAE
Armed Forces.

Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty
--------------


5. (C) The Ambassador then raised the need to get stalled
U.S.-UAE judicial cooperation back on track. The UAE had
declined in recent months to execute USG requests for
evidence on the return of fugitives without clarification on
the USG's position on reciprocity. She informed HbZ that the
Embassy had delivered a diplomatic note clarifying the
reciprocity issue, and a second diplomatic note on the Kanaan
case, to both the MFA and to the Ministry of Justice on May 1
(Ref. C). The U.S. was interested in a follow-up round of
negotiations on a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with
the goal of concluding the MLAT. The USG was also open to
further exchanging ideas on key extradition issues, such as
the extradition of nationals. Ambassador emphasized that the
U.S. wished to proceed with MLAT negotiations and conclude
the MLAT separately from extradition treaty discussions. The
two were distinct instruments serving distinct purposes. HbZ
replied that he would speak with the concerned Ministries,
and agreed that bilateral agreements would institutionalize
our judicial cooperation. (Note: The Ambassador has also
requested a meeting with the Minister of Justice to discuss
the points in Ref. C.)


6. (C) The Ambassador then raised the case of Iranian Mahmoud
Seif, who is in Ministry of Interior custody based on an
Interpol notice provided by DHS/ICE for violating the Arms
Export Control Act with regard to a shipment of night vision
goggles. Ambassador noted that the Embassy had submitted a
request through the MFA asking that Seif be rendered to U.S.
custody, that she had raised the case a day earlier with the
Minister of Interior, and that she anticipated a favorable
resolution of the matter. Sheikh Hamdan undertook to raise
the matter with the Minister of Justice at the following
day's Cabinet meeting.

Amcits
--------------


7. (C) The Ambassador also raised the matter of Amcits Coles
and Rakowski, who were charged March 23 for alleged
possession and use of sensitive telecommunications equipment
without a UAE license and their alleged recording of
photographs/satellite images of sensitive UAEG sites.
Ambassador informed HbZ that the case was receiving U.S.
media attention and that both Colorado senators were
following the case closely. HbZ said that he would request
information on the case from Interior Minister Sheikh Saif
and from Justice Minister Al Dhaheri during the May 9 Cabinet
meeting.
Trafficking in Persons
--------------


8. (C) Raising the issue of trafficking of children to the
UAE to be used as camel jockeys, the Ambassador introduced
G/TIP Reports Officer Feleke Assefa and noted that he was
visiting the UAE May 7-10 to meet with representatives from
the Ministry of Interior, UNICEF, International Organization
for Migration, Dubai Police and Immigration, and source
country embassies to appraise the latest efforts to address
the underage camel jockey problem. The Ambassador thanked
the UAEG for facilitating the meetings on such short notice.
HbZ said that no hurdle would keep the UAEG from attaining
its objective of eliminating the camel jockey problem.
Assefa briefly summarized his impressions of recent positive
developments, including the Ministry of Interior and UNICEF
signing a project agreement for the care and repatriation of
the young boys; the opening of a new Social Support Center in
Abu Dhabi that will provide services to the boys; and the
fact that the UAEG is going to prosecute four individuals for
their role in trafficking children to the UAE. Assefa said
the USG would expect to see a significant number of boys
rescued after the May 31 grace period for camel jockey owners
to register underage camel jockeys expires.

Mission to Pakistan
--------------


9. (C) HbZ informed the Ambassador that he and his brother,
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed, would be traveling to
Pakistan on May 9 to meet with President Musharraf and to
show their solidarity with what he is trying to accomplish in
the fields of counter-terrorism and security.

Palestinians
--------------


10. (C) Before the meeting, the Ambassador and MFA Protocol
Director Obaid Al Zaabi discussed Information Minister Sheikh
Abdullah's May 7 visit to Gaza, where he helped inaugurate
Zayed City, a new neighborhood comprising 736 apartments
built with $61 million in UAE assistance. During the visit,
Abu Dhabi Development Fund Director General Saeed Khalfan Al
Rumeithy announced that a similar housing project financed by
the UAE had been completed in Jenin, and that another housing
project would be completed soon in Rafah. Sheikh Abdullah
met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and reiterated
the UAE's support for the Palestinian people. Abbas said
that the UAE was at the forefront in supporting the
Palestinians, and that other countries were beginning to
emulate the UAE's work in the area of housing, health and
infrastructure.
SISON