NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP BRIEFS UAE NUCLEAR EXPORT CONTROLS

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000478 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, ISN/NESS, ISN/CPI, ISN/RA, EEB/CBA UNVIE FOR HILLIARD AND KESSLER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV ENRG KNNP PNUC ECON AE SUBJECT: NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP BRIEFS UAE NUCLEAR EXPORT CONTROLS TEAM Sensitive but unclassified; please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: UAE officials working on developing nuclear power met May 12 in Abu Dhabi with the Nuclear Suppliers Group, discussing mechanisms of collaboration to prevent proliferation and ensure program integrity. With members of the UAE's export control team also present, they reviewed UAE preparations for an oversight organization to help manage export licensing and control lists. The meetings were productive, noted in the UAE press, and constitute a useful step forward in UAEG engagement on export control generally. End summary. ¶2. (U) In a full day session on May 12, an 11-member team representing the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was received at the UAE Foreign Ministry by a similar sized Emirati team chaired by the UAE's Special Representative for International Nuclear Cooperation (and UAE PermRep to the IAEA) Ambassador Hamad Ali al-Kaabi. UAE participants hailed from Foreign Affairs, Federal Customs, Dubai Police, State Security, Ministry of Interior, GHQ (Armed Forces), Ministry of Energy, and the Central Bank. The NSG presenters included experts from the U.S. (key presentations by Richard Goorevich, Chair of the NSG Consultative Group and Director of the Office of International Regimes and Agreements at the National Nuclear Security Administration),Germany (current NSG chair),and Hungary (incoming NSG chair). ¶3. (U) The UAE began with a short briefing on the status of its nuclear power program, expressing interest in international coordination and acknowledging that key regulatory issues and legislation were still under development. The NSG team gave a thorough review of the history of the NSG with emphasis on the philosophy, intent, mechanisms, and significance of cohesive NSG action. Ambassador al-Kaabi's focused questions punctuated an open and engaging discussion. The UAE clearly appreciated the timely outreach and looked forward to ongoing coordination. ¶4. (SBU) Of significance to the larger UAEG export control efforts (to include but not limited to nuclear aspects),Ambassador al-Kaabi cited the May 10 meeting of a new Executive Committee mandated under the Export Control Law and the planned formation within a month of a federal level "Executive Office" (to include a technical support wing) to coordinate day-to-day work. The Committee itself plans to meet monthly. ¶5. (SBU) Licensing and control list issues would fall within the Executive Office's mandate. The office will issue licenses to exporters, for example, referring sensitive cases to the Committee for review. Disputes may be elevated to the Cabinet for decision (in the apparent absence of a more precise dispute-resolution mechanism). UAE participants also said the control list would be dynamic (not part of the law itself) and could therefore be frequently updated, much as the Singapore or German models. ¶6. (U) The day closed with a discussion of the importance of industry outreach as "a first line of defense" and all parties were appreciative of the useful exchange. The meetings were noted in the local press, based on an official UAE news release highlighting the common interests of the UAE and NSG. ¶7. (SBU) Comment: This is the first time UAE officials working on the nuclear power program have been so directly involved in broader export controls issues. The meeting is a positive indication that the nuclear program may help drive export controls progress, as key nuclear officials have been suggesting. End comment. OLSON 06Cable-WomenFNCelections UNCLASSIFIED