CROWN PRINCE OFFERS DHS U/S BEERS COOPERATION, SUPPORT

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 000845
NOFORN
STATE FOR SRAP AND NEA/ARP
DHS FOR NPPD AND PLCY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2019
TAGS: PTER PREL EFIN AF PK YE AE
SUBJECT: CROWN PRINCE OFFERS DHS U/S BEERS COOPERATION, SUPPORT
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE DOUGLAS C. GREENE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

1. (S/NF) Summary: During an August 7, 2009 meeting with visiting
DHS Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs Directorate
(NPPD) Rand Beers, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed
Al Nahyan (MbZ) discussed UAE efforts to combat illicit financial
flows to Afghanistan and Pakistan, particularly through cash
couriers, Passenger Name Record/Advanced Passenger Information
(PNR/API) cooperation and DHS support for Abu Dhabi’s Critical
National Infrastructure Authority (CNIA). MbZ expressed UAE
commitment to disrupting illicit financial flows, stressing improved
information sharing is essential. MbZ also discussed his views on
global terrorism, UAE security and the situation in Yemen. End
Summary.
ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS
--------------

2. (S/NF) Under Secretary Beers thanked MbZ for the UAE’s continued
cooperation on a broad range of issues, noting that such efforts have
contributed to regional stability and encourage other countries in
the region to follow the UAE’s leadership. He encouraged MbZ to take
additional steps to combat illicit financial flows to Afghanistan and
Pakistan. MbZ stressed that the UAEG is committed to doing more, but
needed USG information and details about how these funds are moving
through the UAE in order to take appropriate action. MbZ assured U/S
Beers of his personal interest in disrupting the flow of funds to
"bad guys." To exemplify his point, Mohammed Bin Zayed even stated
he would arrest his own son if proof was provided that he was
involved in funding terrorists, as explained by him that both
countries’ children were fighting together in Afghanistan.

3. (S/NF) MbZ cautioned that steps be taken to identify legitimate
financial flows, e.g., legal remittances or charitable donations,
from illicit funds. He noted that of USD 7 billion transferred
annually, if 10 percent is illicit, that is a large sum that must be
identified. U/S Beers outlined the need for increased implementation
of UAE cash declaration requirements and explained that it should be
accomplished with a systemic approach. Beers emphasized identifying
mutually agreeable systems of investigation to identify suspicious
transactions, investigate them and weed out non suspects and work
together to identify the real facilitators of the Taliban’s and
Al-Qa’ida’s financing. MbZ stressed we need better coordination and
communication to combat our shared enemy.
SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
--------------

4. (S/NF) Mohammad bin Zayed noted UAE concern about Afghan stability
and economic development, stressing the related effect on UAE
investment in Pakistan. MbZ told U/S Beers, "We need to invest in
these countries for the next 50 years, put a system together and work
it from within." MbZ said the UAE is investing more money in the
region and are currently planning a USD 400 million dollar investment
in Afghanistan (nfi). He said that he had been unable to convince
other Arab countries to join in this effort; "I tried, but I couldn’t
bring any other countries together." MbZ said the UAE wants to build
villages, 25,000 homes, and include electric, dams, roads, schools,
health care, etc. He said the UAE is working with France and Germany
to invest $300 million in Swat and Waziristan as well.
TERRORISM - HERE, THERE AND YEMEN
--------------

5. (S/NF) MbZ then commented on the future of radicalism. He stated
if he lives another thirty years he does not believe anything will
change as long as the ideology of terrorists does not change.
Extremism will continue as long as schools and books are still
feeding the children this ideology. It will take more than one
generation to change, and that chQQB&jMD.W"m$RQbZ said that after 9/11
the UAE took a hard look at hardliners in the Emirates. They
identified a total of 6,000 hardliners, who could be broken down into
four categories: 1) Fighters supporting Afghan jihad against the
Russians, 2) Taliban fighters (non-Al Qaeda),3) Members of the army
of Osama Bin Laden, 4) Those who want to kill themselves. Noting that
only 700 of the 6000 were Emirati citizens, MbZ opined that the UAE is
going to be secure.

7. (S/NF) MbZ then turned to Yemen, noting that he believes the
country is becoming a failed state. He commented that the UAE was
strongly opposed to allowing Yemen into the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC). MbZ recalled a recent GCC meeting where "my boss" (UAE
President Sheikh Khalifa) joined his Kuwaiti counterpart in warning
Saudi King Abdullah that "If you let Yemen into the GCC, then we are
leaving the GCC." MbZ said, as GCC nationals can travel to other
GCC countries without visas, Yemeni citizens would come to the UAE by
the thousands - if not millions. He explained, "I would have to
install ten checkpoints between my house and the school so my wife
could drive my children to school. If you are an American here or
you are from any country it is my duty to make you safe... this
country is going to be secure."

8. (S/NF) U/S Beers asked if MbZ had read a recent speech by
Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism
John Brennan that noted the U.S. will stop calling our efforts a "war
on Terror" and using the phrase Jihadists. MbZ had not, but agreed
to take a look at it and offer his comments after review.
DHS COOPERATION
--------------

9. (S/NF) Turning to his meeting with Critical National
Infrastructure Authority (CNIA) Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoon
(septel),U/S Beers told MbZ that he would be taking CNIA’s requests
back to Washington for further discussion and consideration. MbZ
mentioned that he heard from State Security Advisor Sheikh Hazaa bin
Zayed about USG interest in cooperation on Passenger Name
Record/Advanced Passenger Information (PNR/API). MbZ promised U/S
Beers that "we will work it out."

10. (C) Participants: MbZ. The Charge, DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Counter Terrorism Policy Thomas Warrick, and DHS/ICE Attache
David Thompson accompanied U/S Beers.

11. (SBU) U/S Beers has cleared this cable.
OLSON