UAE CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR ON IRAN AND NORTH KOREA

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 004087 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/IR, EB/ESC/TFS, S/CT, ISN TREASURY FOR U/S LEVEY, A/S O'BRIEN, PHEFFERNAN, ACURTIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2016 TAGS: ETTC PTER KTFN MNUC IR KN AE SUBJECT: UAE CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR ON IRAN AND NORTH KOREA SANCTIONS REF: ABU DHABI 3799 Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1. 4 (b),(d). ¶1. (S/NF) During a November 19 meeting with econchief and Treasury Regional Advisors, Central Bank Governor Sultan Nasser Al-Suwaidi briefly discussed U.S. efforts to isolate the Iranian regime financially. He said that Treasury Secretary Paulson had discussed Iran with all GCC Central SIPDIS Bank governors and Finance Ministers on the margins of the IMF/WB Annual Meetings in Singapore. Al-Suwaidi called it "a good introductory meeting" where Secretary Paulson discussed financial pressures against certain "Iranian entities." Al-Suwaidi freely admitted the UAE's concerns about Iran. He explained, however, that the UAE preferred to take quiet actions rather than implement a public "name and shame" campaign against Iran, which it viewed as dangerous to UAE security. ¶2. (S/NF) Al-Suwaidi said that the UAE had "no problem" with the U.S. actions (under EO 13382 (WMD)) against 11 Iranian entities and 13 North Korean entities, adding that he expected to see "new lists" in response to the UN resolution on North Korea. In response to econchief's question, he confirmed that the accounts of Tanchon Commercial Bank in the UAE were still frozen. ¶3. (S/NF) Al-Suwaidi noted that the Central Bank had identified "no issues" relevant to the 11 Iranian entities, but that the Central Bank' examiners would look for details during their regular bank examinations. He also noted that the UAE had shut 18 Iranian companies in Dubai and had cancelled the residence visas for many Iranians as an example of the UAE's preference to resolve issues quietly. SISON