Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ABUDHABI2281
2006-06-05 09:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

DRAFT U.S./UAE JTFCC MOU FOR INTERAGENCY COMMENT

Tags:  PTER KTFN AE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7553
RR RUEHDE
DE RUEHAD #2281/01 1560922
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 050922Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5460
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCNFB/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 002281 

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TREASURY FOR U/S SLEVEY, RLEBENSON, PHEFFERNAN, KHECHT,
ASZUBIN
FBI FOR TFOS MMOREHART, FWAIKART
DHS FOR ICE KDELACOLLI, JGALLION
CIA FOR CTC/FINO
MANAMA FOR JBEAL
NSC FOR FTOWNSEND, JZARATE, MMALVESTI, NSHAMPAINE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2016
TAGS: PTER KTFN AE
SUBJECT: DRAFT U.S./UAE JTFCC MOU FOR INTERAGENCY COMMENT

REF: A. ABU DHABI 2211

B. 2005 STATE 208617

C. ABU DHABI 409

D. ABU DHABI 2081

Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.5 b and d.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 002281

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TREASURY FOR U/S SLEVEY, RLEBENSON, PHEFFERNAN, KHECHT,
ASZUBIN
FBI FOR TFOS MMOREHART, FWAIKART
DHS FOR ICE KDELACOLLI, JGALLION
CIA FOR CTC/FINO
MANAMA FOR JBEAL
NSC FOR FTOWNSEND, JZARATE, MMALVESTI, NSHAMPAINE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2016
TAGS: PTER KTFN AE
SUBJECT: DRAFT U.S./UAE JTFCC MOU FOR INTERAGENCY COMMENT

REF: A. ABU DHABI 2211

B. 2005 STATE 208617

C. ABU DHABI 409

D. ABU DHABI 2081

Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.5 b and d.


1. (C) Summary. At the request of the UAE Central Bank
Governor, Embassy has prepared a draft Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. and UAE to formalize the
Joint Terrorist Finance Coordinating Committee (JTFCC). The
purpose of this MOU is to give the UAE chair of the JTFCC
(presumably the Central Bank Governor) the authority to
summon federal and emirate-level participants to future JTFCC
meetings. Embassy would like interagency comments/clearance
on this draft MOU in advance of Advisor to the President for
Homeland Security and Counter Terrorism (APHSCT) Frances
Fragos Townsend's trip to the UAE at the end of June. This
cable contains an action request in paragraph 3. End
summary.


2. (C) In a May 29 meeting with Ambassador, Central Bank
Governor Sultan Nasser al-Suweidi requested the U.S. and UAE
sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize the
Joint Terror Finance Coordinating Committee (JTFCC) (ref A).
Al-Suweidi emphasized that an MOU would enable the UAE to
call the appropriate federal and emirate officials to the
JTFCC meetings without referring the matter to the UAE ruling
family leadership on each occasion.


3. (C) Action Request for EB/ESC/TFS: Embassy's JTFCC team
(DOJ/OPDAT, ECON, LEGAT, DHS/ICE, SIMO) has prepared a draft
MOU. Please circulate the below text to the TerFin PCC
participants for their comment and clearance. Please respond
to Embassy via cable with a cleared MOU by COB June 16. End
action request.


4. (C/REL UAE)
-------------- Begin Text of Draft MOU --------------

Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the
United States of America and the Government of the United
Arab Emirates Establishing the United States/United Arab
Emirates Joint Terrorist Finance Coordinating Committee:


The Government of the United States of America and the
Government of the United Arab Emirates;

Agreeing on the importance of existing cooperation between
the Government of the United States of America and the
Government of the United Arab Emirates;

Seeking to promote the observance of the national laws of
their respective countries regarding terrorist financing; and

Desiring to strengthen and develop further their joint
efforts to combat the financing of all forms of terrorist
activity,

Hereby agree to create an interagency Joint Terrorist Finance
Coordinating Committee.

Statement of Purpose:


1. The Joint Terrorist Finance Coordinating Committee
(JTFCC) shall be a joint interagency policy coordination
committee of the Government of the United States of America
and the Government of the United Arab Emirates (hereafter
&the Governments8),which will bring together components of
the Governments that are engaged in joint counter-terrorist
finance efforts in the United Arab Emirates. The JTFCC shall:


A. Establish policy priorities for combating terrorist
financing and develop long-term counter-terrorist finance
strategies.


B. Propose interagency programs and initiatives designed to
implement JTFCC policy priorities and to achieve specific

ABU DHABI 00002281 002 OF 003


counter-terrorist finance goals.


C. Review and evaluate joint counter-terrorist finance
efforts and recommend improvementsto better implement JTFCC
strategies and to meet TFCC goals.


2. The scope of this MOU is limite to policy coordination.
The JTFCC shall not be mechanism for approving or executing
specific pograms or operations (which shall be left to theindividual agencies responsible for the programs). The
cooperation envisioned by this MOU shall be eparate and
apart from any and all intelligence ctivities between the
two countries directly or ndirectly concerning terror
finance.


3. In adition, the JTFCC shall enhance, but shall not
restrict or limit, the continuation and expansion of the
day-to-day relationships currently ongoing between United
States agencies and their counterparts in the Government of
the United Arab Emirates.

Participation:


4. Members of the JTFCC shall include officials from the
ministries, departments and agencies of the Governments that
are responsible for enforcing the Governments,
counter-terrorism laws and fulfilling the Governments,
bilateral agreements regarding counter-terrorist financing.
These shall include, at a minimum, the following:


A. For the Government of the United States of America: The
United States Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates; the
Department of State Economic Counselor; the Federal Bureau of
Investigation; the Department of Homeland Security U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and the Department of
Justice.


B. For the Government of the United Arab Emirates: The
Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates; the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Interior; the Ministry of
Justice; the Customs Federal Corporation; Dubai Police
Department; and Dubai Customs Authority.


5. The JTFCC shall be co-chaired by two officials, one
identified by each Government. The U.S. side shall be
chaired by a policy-level Washington official, Assistant
Secretary or above. These officials shall have authority to

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convene meetings of the JTFCC and to summon the membership on
behalf of their respective Governments. Notice of any change
in chairmanship shall be submitted at least one month prior
to the subsequent JTFCC meeting.

Organization:


6. The JTFCC shall meet in September 2006, and approximately
every four months thereafter. The co-chairs shall determine
the meeting agenda, and at each meeting the date for the
subsequent meeting shall be fixed. Unless otherwise agreed,
meetings of the JTFCC shall be held in the United Arab
Emirates.


7. The JTFCC may create ad hoc subgroups to address
particular counter-terrorist finance issues. These subgroups
will meet as necessary to carry out their responsibilities,
and shall provide reports to the full JTFCC at regular JTFCC
meetings.

Effective Date and Amendment:


8. This Memorandum shall become effective upon signature on
behalf of the Governments, and may be amended at any time by
mutual consent.


9. This Memorandum is revocable at any time. The
termination will become effective upon receipt of written
notification by either party.

Signatures:

ABU DHABI 00002281 003 OF 003



The parties hereto have executed this Memorandum of
Understanding on:

For the Government of the United States of America:

For the Government of the United Arab Emirates:

-------------- End Text of Draft MOU --------------

SISON