CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): HOST COUNTRY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001732

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, ISN/CB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2017
TAGS: PARM PREL KTIA CWC AE
SUBJECT: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): HOST COUNTRY
AGREEMENT UAE RESPONSE

REF: SECSTATE 140220

Classified By: Martin Quinn Deputy Chief of Mission for reasons 1.4 (b
& d).


1. (C/NF) Econchief met with MFA International Organizations
Director Yacub Al-Hosani on October 18 to discuss the host
country agreement negotiations and to propose a meeting
during the CWC Conference of the States Parties (November
5-9). Al-Hosani confirmed that the UAE would send a
delegation to the meeting and tentatively agreed to a meeting
of the delegations. He noted that he was not an expert on
the agreement, but reiterated that some in the UAEG had
concerns about why the UAE needed to give the USG "an
exception" to the agreement. Al-Hosani asked how many
countries world-wide had signed the agreement -- information
on which, he noted, might help convince skeptics in the UAEG.
Econchief noted that a regional country had signed the
agreement, which Al-Hosani seemed to be aware of. Econchief,
drawing from talking points, added that the CWC provisions
offered no guidance on how state parties would conduct a
challenge inspection when the assets of more than one state
party had been included in the mandate. Econchief suggested
that the UAE send someone to the meeting who understood the
UAEG's concerns in detail. Al-Hosani took the suggestion on
board.
SISON