UAE RECEIVES ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001822 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA - JSCOVITCH E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2017 TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL KBCT AE SUBJECT: UAE RECEIVES ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT DEMARCHE REF: SECSTATE 150661 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Martin Quinn for reasons 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (C) On November 1, Econchief raised the issue of the Arab League Boycott with Ministry of Economy Under Secretary Abdullah Al-Salah and stressed the USG view that the Arab League Boycott was an obstacle to peace and a barrier to participating in the global economy. Al-Salah reiterated the UAEG's commitment to not implementing the secondary and tertiary aspects of the boycott. With regard to the primary boycott, and attendance at the biannual meeting, he stated this was a political decision and referred Econchief to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He added that whether the Ministry of Economy sent a participant would be determined by the MFA. ¶2. (C) Subsequently DCM raised the boycott issue, and our urging to close the Central boycott Office in Damascus, with MFA Acting Under Secretary Tariq Al-Haidan. Al-Haidan, a former UAE Ambassador to Syria, responded that he "got the message," but would not commit to "boycotting" the meeting. SISON