FOLLOW-UP ON UAE RESPONSE TO LEBANESE REQUEST FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000876 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/ELA MATTHEW IRWIN AND PM MICHAEL COULTER E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2017 TAGS: PREL MASS LE AE SUBJECT: FOLLOW-UP ON UAE RESPONSE TO LEBANESE REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY AID REF: A. STATE 70449 ¶B. ABU DHABI 857 ¶C. 5/23/2007 USLO ABU DHABI COL. RODABAUGH-MATT IRWIN TELCON Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (U) Action request. Please see paras 9 and 10. ¶2. (C) On May 24, Col. Jack McGuinness (Ret.),Military Advisor to Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (MbZ), provided Embassy with the text of a message he sent to UAE Director Military Intelligence Brigadier Eissa Saif al Mazrouie and MbZ. (NOTE: Eissa and MbZ are in Morocco on private travel. END NOTE.) BEGIN TEXT: ¶3. (C) United States -------------- - The United States is moving ammunition immediately via US Air Force aircraft from Kuwait stockpile to Lebanon. - U.S. Congress is approving $30 million for LAF. - Large caliber ammunition, 5.56 caliber ammunition, body armor, and helmets are urgently needed. - CENTCOM does not have sufficient stockage of helmets and body armor. - State Department requires that US-origin ammunition to have USG approval for transfer to Lebanon. While such approval may take too long to meet the LAF's immediate needs, the USG remains ready to process any such requests as quickly as possible. -- UAE has not acquired any requested items via the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process. -- The United States will not approve any cluster munitions or white phosphorus. ¶4. (C) Saudi Arabia -------------- - Offered $20 million in cash. - LAF orders ammunition. Through an Acquisition Cross Service Agreement (ACSA),Saudi will get the bill and wire the money to an LAF bank account. ¶5. (C) United Arab Emirates -------------- - Political: Enter a bilateral agreement with Lebanon to assist. - Funding: Consider an option such as the Saudi option. - Provide what is available in UAE stockage and ammo manufactured in the UAE (ADCOM). - Provide UAE-manufactured pistols (Caracal). - Humanitarian: Assistance through the UAE Red Crescent: blankets, food, and water. - Medical: UAE C-130s delivering requested items could return to UAE with medical patients for treatment. Possible offer of the use of UAE C-130s to regional countries. - GHQ: Set up two command centers to command and control all of the above -- one in the UAE with one in Lebanon. Communication will be key. END TEXT. ¶6. (C) Transport: USLO specifically asked Col. McGuinness whether UAEG C-130 transport would have cargo space available for UAE donations as well as for donations coming from elsewhere in the Gulf region. McGuinness said he would forward the question to MbZ. ¶7. (C) Third Party Transfer: Col. McGuinness saw the requirement to request third party transfer from USG as a "red line" to which the UAE will not be disposed to submit. He said he is preparing possible alternatives. UAE would be more agreeable to a blanket third party transfer authorization of the entire list as transmitted by USG, McGuinness said. ¶8. McGuinness emphasized that the UAE was looking to assist LAF both with items requested Ref A and with medical/humanitarian assistance. ¶9. (C) ACTION REQUEST FOR PM/RSAT: ADCOM (local UAE company) manufactures ammo DODIC A071 5.56 ball in UAE. Request PM confirmation that this donation would not require third party transfer authorization as it is not of US-origin. ¶10. (C) ACTION REQUEST FOR NEA/ELA AND PM/RSAT: Please advise whether there are errors in what Col. McGuinness has drafted (paras 3-5) so that we may correct any inconsistencies. SISON