UAE LIKELY TO RELEASE 2ND & 3RD CONTAINERS FROM

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 000800 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR T, ISN, AND NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/01/2032 TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC MNUC IR CH AE SUBJECT: UAE LIKELY TO RELEASE 2ND & 3RD CONTAINERS FROM M/V IRAN TEHRAN REF: A. ABU DHABI 755 ¶B. ABU DHABI 743 ¶C. ABU DHABI 734 ¶D. ABU DHABI 728 ¶E. STATE 58623 Classified By: Martin Quinn Charge d'Affaires a.i. for reasons 1.4 b an d c, d. ¶1. (S) MFA Acting Under Secretary Tareq Al-Haidan contacted Econchief on May 17, to say that the UAE intended to release the second and third containers that the UAE had unloaded from the M/V Iran Tehran on May 2. He noted that the Chinese had asked about the status of these two containers and for the UAE to provide any justification for continuing to hold them. He said that the UAE had determined that the items were not controlled: "They are just drills." He asked whether the USG had any more information to justify holding the containers or whether we agreed that the containers could be released. ¶2. (S) Econchief stressed that we appreciated the UAEG's actions under UNSCRs 1737 and 1747 to hold and investigate the shipments. He noted USG concerns that the drills, while not controlled, could be used in a missile program and that the Jam Industrial Trading Company (JAMCO) had facilitated procurement for the Iranian missile program in the past. In this case, however, we did not have any additional information proving that this shipment would be used in a UNSCR-prohibited fashion. Econchief noted that the UAE would need to make its determination consistent with UAEG policy, law and regulations and its interpretation of applicable UNSCRs. Al-Haidan indicated that the second and third containers would likely be released, but stressed that the UAE would continue to "control" the first container and had no intention of releasing it to Iran. QUINN