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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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