UAE MFA ON NON-PROLIFERATION ISSUES

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 000769


DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, T, ISN AND ISN/CPI
JCHALMERS/JPURCELL/CGUZMAN/CHERRINGTON/MFELIP E, ISN/WMDT SPRESCOTT,
ISN/ECC VPSAROS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2018
TAGS: PARM PREL PTER KGIC KNNP AE
SUBJECT: UAE MFA ON NON-PROLIFERATION ISSUES

REF: A. SECSTATE 69339

B. SECSTATE 69620

C. SECSTATE 69343

D. SECSTATE 53868

E. SECSTATE 54457

Classified by Charge d'Affaires Martin Quinn, Reasons 1.4 (b,d).

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (S) On June 30, ECONCHIEF and TDY ECONOFF met with MFA Director
for International Organizations Yacub al-Hosani to follow up on
several non-proliferation related issues and to deliver ISN
nonpapers, including reftel A relating to implementing robustly
paragraph 11 of UNSCR 1803, and to discuss the risks of doing
business with the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL).
ECONOFFS also delivered the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI)
Summary Papers (reftel B) and informed the MFA of the new Global
Initiative Partners (reftel C). Al-Hosani expressed appreciation for
the information and also took the opportunity to update ECONOFFS on
the status of several shipments of proliferation concern. Finally,
al-Hosani informed ECONOFFS of the UAEG's preference not to conduct
an export control outreach event at the end of August (reftel D).
END SUMMARY.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IRISL CARGO INSPECTION
PROVISION OF UNSCR 1803
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2. (S) ECONOFFS passed the IRISL Cargo Inspection non-papers (reftel
A) to Al-Hosani and stressed the importance of implementing UNSCR
1803's call for member states, in accordance with national and
international law, to inspect the cargoes to and from Iran, of
aircraft and vessels, at their airports and seaports, owned or
operated by IRISL, provided there are reasonable grounds to believe
that the aircraft or vessel is transporting goods prohibited under
resolution 1803 or resolution 1737 (2006) or resolution 1747 (2007).
ECONCHIEF commented that the UAE had already stopped four shipments
of proliferation concern bound for Iran in accordance with these
UNSCRs. Al-Hosani reviewed the papers and commented that it is
"always a good idea" to remind countries of the importance of these
resolutions. He committed to passing the information to other
appropriate UAE authorities.

PSI: SUMMARY OF MAY 28-29, 2008 PSI 5th ANNIVERSARY SENIOR LEVEL
MEETING AND OUTREACH WORKSHOP
-------------- --------------


3. (U) ECONOFFS passed the summaries of the PSI 5th anniversary
papers (reftel B) to Al-Hosani, who appreciated the information.
Al-Hosani attended the workshop and commented that he found it a very
useful and informative event.

GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM
-------------- -


4. (U) ECONOFFS also informed Al-Hosani that India and Jordan
recently became partner nations to the Global Initiative to Combat
Nuclear Terrorism (GI),bringing the total number of endorsements to

73. Al-Hosani wryly noted that he had read an article in an Indian
paper about India's joining the GI, which observed that this action
would encourage the UAE to join. (Note: A week earlier, ECONCHIEF
and Russian DCM jointly met with Al-Hosani to formally welcome the
UAE to the GI and to pass over core documents (ref e). This was the
first time that Al-Hosani's busy travel schedule permitted him to
take a joint meeting. End note.)

EXPORT CONTROL LICENSING WORKHOP
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5. (U) Additionally, ECONOFFS took this opportunity to follow up
with Al-Hosani on the Department's proposal to conduct an export
control licensing workshop/expert's group meeting on August 27-28,
2008 (reftel D). Al-Hosani stated that he inquired with several
agencies regarding the workshop, but unfortunately the timing is
unworkable for the UAE due to summer holidays, the upcoming export
control consultations with the EU, and the proximity to Ramadan
(which starts o/a September 1). ECONCHIEF inquired as to whether a
date during Ramadan would be acceptable, but Al-Hosani stated that
the UAEG would prefer to conduct the workshop after Ramadan.
ECONCHIEF also explained that the workshop should be viewed as a
follow-on "experts' level" meeting to the September 2007 legal and
regulatory workshop. Al-Hosani indicated that this was also his
understanding, adding that he wanted the UAE to pass the amendments
to the export control law in order for the experts to be able to
discuss implementation more fully. ECONCHIEF reiterated USG
willingness to provide assistance.

ANHYDROUS HYDROGEN FLOURIDE SHIPMENT
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6. (S) During the meeting, Al-Hosani also indicated that the UAE
continues to work with Thai and Korean officials, including the Thai
MFA, regarding the shipment of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride (AHF) from
the Thai firm "Power Marine Company, Ltd." from Laem Chabang,
Thailand for delivery to Bandar Abbas, Iran. He noted that the Thais
and Koreans both were trying to shift responsibility to the other.
With regard to the shipments from China, he reiterated that the UAEG
is trying to have the GoC accept return of the items, but so far
without success. The UAEG had invited a Chinese delegation to visit
the UAE to discuss the matter and to observe UAE implementation of
UNSCRs. So far, the GoC has not accepted the invitation. Al-Hosani
expressed disappointment that a UN Security Council member had such
apparent disregard for UNSCRs.

QUINN