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