Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ABUDHABI4541
2005-11-07 06:52:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAE CENTRAL BANK RAISES INDEMNIFICATION -- AGAIN
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 08/27/2006 06:01:02 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: S E C R E T ABU DHABI 04541 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: AMB LEGAT DOJ P/M DCM POL DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: AMB:MJSISON DRAFTED: ECON:AECURTIS CLEARED: ECON:OJOHN, RLA:EFARR VZCZCADI847 RR RUEHC RUEHZM RHEHNSC RUEATRS DE RUEHAD #4541 3110652 ZNY SSSSS ZZH R 070652Z NOV 05 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2245 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
S E C R E T ABU DHABI 004541
SIPDIS
NOFORN
STATE FOR T U/S JOSEPH, PMCNERNEY
EB/ESC/TFS FOR JSALOOM, NP/RA FOR CRUSSELL
S/CT FOR TKUSHNER, MHAWTHORNE, GNOVIS
NSC FOR JZARATE, DSTEPHENS
TREASURY FOR SLEVEY, RWERNER
MANAMA FOR JBEAL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2015
TAGS: PARM KNNO KTFN ETTC AE
SUBJECT: UAE CENTRAL BANK RAISES INDEMNIFICATION -- AGAIN
REF: A. ABU DHABI 4103
B. ABU DHABI 4230 (NOTAL)
C. SECSTATE 13956 (NOTAL)
D. ABU DHABI 4468
Classified By: (U) Classified by Ambassador Michele J. Sison, for reaso
ns 1.5 (b) and (d).
S E C R E T ABU DHABI 004541
SIPDIS
NOFORN
STATE FOR T U/S JOSEPH, PMCNERNEY
EB/ESC/TFS FOR JSALOOM, NP/RA FOR CRUSSELL
S/CT FOR TKUSHNER, MHAWTHORNE, GNOVIS
NSC FOR JZARATE, DSTEPHENS
TREASURY FOR SLEVEY, RWERNER
MANAMA FOR JBEAL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2015
TAGS: PARM KNNO KTFN ETTC AE
SUBJECT: UAE CENTRAL BANK RAISES INDEMNIFICATION -- AGAIN
REF: A. ABU DHABI 4103
B. ABU DHABI 4230 (NOTAL)
C. SECSTATE 13956 (NOTAL)
D. ABU DHABI 4468
Classified By: (U) Classified by Ambassador Michele J. Sison, for reaso
ns 1.5 (b) and (d).
1. (U) This is an action request, please see para 5.
2. (S/NF) OFAC analyst Andreas Morgner and IRS Special Agent
Raymond Orzel met with UAE Central Bank and Ministry of
Interior (MoI) officials on October 30th to discuss the UAE
connections of international arms trafficker Victor Bout.
Morgner and Orzel outlined the case against Bout and noted
that his network continues to use the UAE as a base for its
aircraft. Abdulrahim al-Awadi, Director of the Central
Bank's Anti-Money Laundering and Suspicious Cases Unit
(AMLSCU),began the meeting by strongly reiterating the
Central Bank Governor's previous requests for indemnification
to cover the Central Bank in the event the Central Bank is
sued for freezing assets based on a U.S. request (refs A-C).
Al-Awadi stated flatly that, "without indemnity we cannot act
on any U.S. request." He also declared that the USG must
take all future requests through the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the Ministry of Justice -- "do not take them
directly to the Central Bank." He continued, "If you give
them (the MFA and the MoJ) information, then they will act
within the laws and contact us, but without evidence, we
cannot act on any U.S. request."
3. (C) During the meeting at the MoI, Lt. Col Murad Mohammed
Murad pledged to cooperate and investigate Bout's use of the
UAE. He requested details on the individuals and companies
operating in the UAE in Arabic. Embassy will translate the
descriptors on OFAC's April 26, 2005 additions that relate to
Victor Bout's network to the SDN list and provide it to the
MoI.
Comment and Action Request
--------------
4. (S/NF) The UAE Central Bank has been requesting indemnity
-- or some form of legal cover -- for over a year. Senior
USG officials have told the Central Bank Governor that the
U.S. cannot provide indemnity, but the Governor recently
indicated that he would welcome a letter providing a legal
opinion of how UNSCR 1540 obligates the UAE to freeze
proliferator assets (refs A and B). Central Bank officials
raise this issue at every single meeting with a U.S.
interlocutor.
5. (U) Action Request. As requested ref D, please forward to
Embassy a letter we may provide to the Central Bank laying
out USG legal opinion on how UNSCR 1540 obligates the UAE to
freeze proliferator assets. End action request.
SISON
SIPDIS
NOFORN
STATE FOR T U/S JOSEPH, PMCNERNEY
EB/ESC/TFS FOR JSALOOM, NP/RA FOR CRUSSELL
S/CT FOR TKUSHNER, MHAWTHORNE, GNOVIS
NSC FOR JZARATE, DSTEPHENS
TREASURY FOR SLEVEY, RWERNER
MANAMA FOR JBEAL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2015
TAGS: PARM KNNO KTFN ETTC AE
SUBJECT: UAE CENTRAL BANK RAISES INDEMNIFICATION -- AGAIN
REF: A. ABU DHABI 4103
B. ABU DHABI 4230 (NOTAL)
C. SECSTATE 13956 (NOTAL)
D. ABU DHABI 4468
Classified By: (U) Classified by Ambassador Michele J. Sison, for reaso
ns 1.5 (b) and (d).
1. (U) This is an action request, please see para 5.
2. (S/NF) OFAC analyst Andreas Morgner and IRS Special Agent
Raymond Orzel met with UAE Central Bank and Ministry of
Interior (MoI) officials on October 30th to discuss the UAE
connections of international arms trafficker Victor Bout.
Morgner and Orzel outlined the case against Bout and noted
that his network continues to use the UAE as a base for its
aircraft. Abdulrahim al-Awadi, Director of the Central
Bank's Anti-Money Laundering and Suspicious Cases Unit
(AMLSCU),began the meeting by strongly reiterating the
Central Bank Governor's previous requests for indemnification
to cover the Central Bank in the event the Central Bank is
sued for freezing assets based on a U.S. request (refs A-C).
Al-Awadi stated flatly that, "without indemnity we cannot act
on any U.S. request." He also declared that the USG must
take all future requests through the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the Ministry of Justice -- "do not take them
directly to the Central Bank." He continued, "If you give
them (the MFA and the MoJ) information, then they will act
within the laws and contact us, but without evidence, we
cannot act on any U.S. request."
3. (C) During the meeting at the MoI, Lt. Col Murad Mohammed
Murad pledged to cooperate and investigate Bout's use of the
UAE. He requested details on the individuals and companies
operating in the UAE in Arabic. Embassy will translate the
descriptors on OFAC's April 26, 2005 additions that relate to
Victor Bout's network to the SDN list and provide it to the
MoI.
Comment and Action Request
--------------
4. (S/NF) The UAE Central Bank has been requesting indemnity
-- or some form of legal cover -- for over a year. Senior
USG officials have told the Central Bank Governor that the
U.S. cannot provide indemnity, but the Governor recently
indicated that he would welcome a letter providing a legal
opinion of how UNSCR 1540 obligates the UAE to freeze
proliferator assets (refs A and B). Central Bank officials
raise this issue at every single meeting with a U.S.
interlocutor.
5. (U) Action Request. As requested ref D, please forward to
Embassy a letter we may provide to the Central Bank laying
out USG legal opinion on how UNSCR 1540 obligates the UAE to
freeze proliferator assets. End action request.
SISON