CRITICAL NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITY DISCUSSES

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 000846


NOFORN

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, ISN/NESS AND ISN/RA
DHS FOR NPPD AND PLCY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2019
TAGS: PTER PGOV ENRG MNUC PREL AE
SUBJECT: CRITICAL NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITY DISCUSSES
COOPERATION WITH DHS

REF: ABU DHABI 765


CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE DOUGLAS C. GREENE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).



1. (S/NF) During an August 7, 2009 meeting with visiting DHS Under
Secretary for National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD)
Rand Beers, Chairman of the Critical National Infrastructure
Authority (CNIA) Staff Brigadier Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan
(AbT) discussed CNIA's interest in expanding cooperation with the
Department of Homeland Security. Following up on his letters to
Ambassador Olson (reftel),Undersecretary Beers and U.S. Coast Guard
(USCG) Commandant Admiral Thad Allen, AbT discussed CNIA requests to
1) assign two USCG Officers to CNIA, 2) establish a Joint Working
Group with the USCG, 3) discuss establishing a USCG base in Abu
Dhabi, 4) assign a Transportation and Security Administration (TSA)
Officer to CNIA and 5) discuss establishing an Immigration and
Customs pre-clearance program at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
U/S Beers acknowledged receiving CNIA's request and told Sheikh Ahmed
that the USG would seriously consider these requests. U/S Beers said
he would discuss them with appropriate Washington agencies and the
U.S. Mission in the UAE.


2. (S/NF) The delegation was provided an overview of CNIA, which was
established in May of 2007 to take over the responsibility for
securing the UAE's infrastructure. Using a phased in approach,
CNIA's initial efforts have focused on Abu Dhabi's oil and gas
infrastructure protection, including pipelines, desalinization plants
and coast guard / search and rescue. CNIA is also responsible for
Abu Dhabi's nuclear power plants site security; the first plant is
scheduled for completion in 2017. CNIA is currently working on the
risk management phase using the consulting firm Good Harbor and
taking tours of plants in France and the United States. They are also
currently working on the vulnerability and threat assessment stages
of risk management of the sites, which currently do not have fence
enclosures or guards posted. CNIA expects to have the fence
enclosure completed by the end of the year.


3. (S/NF) CNIA also expects to take responsibility for securing all
five major airports in Abu Dhabi by 2013. Sheikh Ahmed said he
requested pre-clearance in Abu Dhabi as it would be easier for
travelers denied entry to the United States to be denied entry
without having to travel to the United States. AbT said the UAE was
willing to fund this initiative. U/S Beers explained the reasoning
behind the other pre-clearance locations particularly for Canada,
which facilitated general aviation and helped secure the United
States. He noted it was not for facilitation for commercial
purposes. U/S Beers told Sheikh Ahmed that this request requires
more study and that he would check into it in Washington, in part to
identify how many UAE residents have been refused entry. U/S Beers
told Sheikh Ahmed that he would share these results with him and also
with UAE Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba. Sheikh
Ahmed stated he was apprehensive sometimes when travelling to the
United States and mentioned a recent experience in Atlanta that took
him 45 minutes to clear Immigration and Customs. U/S Beers told him
that DHS would try to make sure his future travels would be
facilitated better.


4. (SBU) Participants: The Charge, DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Counter Terrorism Policy Thomas Warrick, DHS/ICE Attache David
Thompson and LCDR Jeff Miller USLO accompanied U/S Beers.


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


OLSON