UPCOMING ARAB LEAGUE CENTRAL BOYCOTT OFFICE

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004211 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ECON KBCT AE SUBJECT: UPCOMING ARAB LEAGUE CENTRAL BOYCOTT OFFICE MEETING - UAE RESPONSE REF: SECSTATE 180280 ¶1. (SBU) On November 5, Econchief and Polchief raised the November Arab League Boycott meeting in Damascus with MFA A/US for International Cooperation Mohamed Abduljalil and urged the UAEG to neither attend nor support the meeting. Abduljalil reiterated the UAE's position that it did not implement the secondary and tertiary aspects of the boycott. On the primary boycott, he noted the centrality of the Arab League and said the UAE would work with the Arab League on the issue. He was not aware whether the UAE would be sending a representative or not. ¶2. (SBU) In response to Econchief's point that we viewed the Arab League boycott as both an obstacle to Middle East peace and a barrier to participation in the global economy, Abduljalil said that -- "speaking personally" -- Arabs did not see that there was an ongoing peace process. He commented that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the U.S. policy toward it, caused many problems for Americans and for friendly Arab governments. He urged that the U.S. be more "realistic" in its policies. ¶3. (SBU) Econchief had originally contacted MinEcon U/S Abdullah Al-Saleh on November 2 to urge the Ministry of Economy not to send a representative to the meeting. Al-Saleh replied that participation was "a political decision" and referred Econchief to the MFA. On November 6, Al-Saleh called econchief to say that the Ministry of Economy has not yet received any invitation to the boycott meeting. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: The UAE has frequently stated its commitment not to implement the secondary and tertiary applications of the boycott and has worked with the USG toward that goal. It is not yet prepared to lift the primary boycott, although the Minister of Economy has said that the UAE realizes this would need to be addressed in the context of an FTA with the U.S. End Comment. SISON