GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM - UAE STILL

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000447

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2033
TAGS: PARM PREL PTER KNNP KGIC DTRA AE
SUBJECT: GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM - UAE STILL
EVALUATING

REF: A. STATE 33031

B. ABU DHABI 326


1. (SBU) Embassy passed ref a non-paper on the global initiative to
MFA Director for International Cooperation Yacub Al-Hosani on April 1
and to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi's Executive Affairs Authority (EAA)
on April 2. Econchief reiterated our desire to have the UAEG endorse
the G-I Statement of Principles at the same time as the signing of
the U.S. UAE MOU on Nuclear Energy Cooperation.


2. (SBU) Econchief followed up with Al-Hosani on April 4 and with the
EAA's Hamad Al-Kaabi on April 6. Both reiterated that their major
concern with G-I was ensuring that they would have the personnel
required to meet its commitments. Al-Kaabi was very interested in
the fact that "no activities are mandatory." He stressed that the UAE
would want to participate in relevant activities, but had only a
limited pool of technical people to draw on.


3. (SBU) Comment: It appears as if the non-paper has helped assuage
many of the UAEG's concerns. Ultimately, the working level will need
to formulate a recommendation to UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah
bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. We will continue to urge that the UAE endorse
the G-I Statement of Principles and will follow up when senior EAA
officials return to the country and with UAE Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs later this week. End Comment
Quinn