US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI4294

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 004294 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ARP AND NEA/RA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/13 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, CVIS, CASC, ETRD, EFIN, TC 
SUBJECT: U.S.-UAE Strategic Partnership, Oct. 5-6: 
Proposed topics and format 
 
1. (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for 
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
2. (C) Summary and Action request:  We have reached 
agreement with the UAEG on the topics and format for 
the October 5-6 U.S.-UAE Strategic Partnership in Abu 
Dhabi.  October 5 will be the substantive, working day 
for the US delegation, with October 6 reserved for the 
plenary session, ceremonial event, and a lunch.  We 
have broken the topics for the working sessions into 
five broad categories: Middle East Partnership 
Initiative (MEPI); Counterterrorism/Law Enforcement 
Cooperation; Consular Issues; Global Issues - 
Trafficking in Persons; and Middle East Free Trade 
Agreement (MEFTA). 
 
3. (C) Summary and Action request continued:  The 
plenary day will include opening remarks and an 
overview of key regional issues by A/S Burns and de 
facto Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al- 
Nahyan, a presentation on MEPI, a summary of progress 
achieved and follow-up required from the bilateral 
working sessions, a possible Article 98 signing 
ceremony, and a lunch.  For all sessions, we have 
listed desired participants.  Request NEA/ARP use 
these names and/or offices to recruit appropriate US 
interlocutors.  We will send a scenesetter for A/S 
Burns' meetings on the margins of the Strategic 
Partnership septel.  The Embassy requests NEA's 
approval of this structure and format.  End Summary 
and Action request. 
 
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Working Group Sessions (Oct. 5) 
------------------------------- 
 
4. (C) The first day will be the substantive, working 
day.  Delegates can expect to meet with UAEG 
counterparts at their respective ministries.  Each 
group will prepare minutes reflecting progress and 
next steps to be included in the report to the 
plenary.  The list of agreed upon Working Groups and 
the Embassy's requests for US participants (names 
and/or offices) follow: 
 
A. MEPI:  Meetings with the Ministry of Economy to 
discuss WTO technical training, with the Ministry of 
Information to discuss media training, and with the 
Ministry of Justice to discuss judicial training, 
which the Emiratis have requested.  MEPI-funded WTO 
compliance training has commenced in Bahrain this 
month, and training is to continue in locations 
throughout the Gulf through Fall 2004.  We understand 
the MEPI office plans to ask the UAEG to host two 
seminars in the UAE - intellectual property rights on 
works on the Internet and one other (TBD) - and 
encourage UAE participation in the other seminars.  On 
media training, PAO has received approval for UAE 
participation in the Internews media training project. 
PAO is planning a workshop in Arabic, with Radio Sawa 
Bureau Chief.  Our plan is to work with Internews to 
identify potential training opportunities.  We have 
already been contacted by Abu Dhabi TV and Dubai TV, 
which are interested in participating in the project. 
(Request NEA/PI - Alina Romanowski; MEPI consultant 
Emad Tinawi from Booz Allen) 
 
B. Counterterrorism/Law Enforcement Cooperation: Both 
the US and the UAE want to make progress toward an 
MLAT.  The MLAT will require more negotiations between 
the UAEG intra-agency group and the State/Justice 
team.  In addition, the UAEG has requested discussion 
on terrorist financing and money laundering training 
and ongoing cooperation.  We want to confirm our 
interest in offering a Department of Justice training 
course for public prosecutors and judges, as well as 
ongoing FBI training courses.  (We request the 
State/Justice team for the MLAT discussions.  We 
request DOJ/OPDAT - Jim Silverwood to discuss proposed 
training for UAE public prosecutors and judges.) 
 
We anticipate the UAEG (Ministry of Justice, Central 
Bank, MFA) will raise questions related to specific 
terrorist financing investigations.  It may be prudent 
for a Treasury or FBI representative to be prepared to 
discuss these issues.  We do not/not believe an OFAC 
representative should travel to the UAE to discuss 
specific issues (especially ARBIFT) at this time, but 
wait until the Emiratis make good on their promise to 
replace ARBIFT's Libyan chairman. (Request State to 
identify appropriate person within Treasury to discuss 
terrorist financing issues.) 
 
C. Consular Issues: Meetings with Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs Consular Affairs Department to discuss 
consular notification, UAE passports, visas and 
treatment of high-level UAE officials.  We want the 
UAE to enact specific legislation to provide for 
notification to foreign nationals, who are arrested or 
detained, of their right of consular notification and 
access.  We also want to raise our concerns regarding 
UAE passports being issued with incorrect biographic 
data.  The Emiratis seek clarification on visa 
procedures, particularly for students and persons 
seeking medical treatment.  Senior officials with the 
UAEG have complained of mistreatment at ports of 
entry, especially after 9/11. (Request State to 
identify appropriate person within CA, as well as 
DHS/Athens - Jacob Antoninis) 
 
D. Global Issues/Trafficking in Persons: Meetings with 
Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, and 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials in Abu Dhabi and 
Dubai, to discuss future cooperation.  We want to 
build on the UAE's Trafficking in Persons success 
story.  (Post already has received country clearance 
request from G/TIP - Sally Neumann) 
 
E. MEFTA: Both the US and UAE are committed to a Trade 
and Investment Framework Agreement and we hope to have 
concluded a final text by the time of the Strategic 
Partnership.  A TIFA signing would then take place in 
Washington during Minister of State for Foreign 
Affairs Sheikh Hamdan's late October visit to 
Washington.  In addition, given the UAE's eagerness to 
conclude a Free Trade Agreement, we think it would be 
timely to have an FTA expert come here to explain 
necessary steps to conclude an FTA.  (Request USTR - 
A/USTR Cathy Novelli or her representative.  If USTR 
is unavailable, request appropriate person from 
State/EB.) 
 
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Plenary Session, Events (Oct. 6) 
-------------------------------- 
 
5. (C) The second day will be the plenary session to 
include a possible signing ceremony for Article 98 and 
a lunch.  In addition, the Embassy will arrange 
bilateral meetings for A/S Burns on the margins of the 
Strategic Partnership.  Regarding Article 98, both 
sides aim to finalize this accord by that time.  The 
MFA has told us that the UAEG has one unresolved issue 
that will probably require a teleconference with 
Washington nlt Sept. 29.  We request Department 
instructions on how to formalize an Article 98 (i.e. 
exchange of dip notes).  We would welcome Ambassador 
Bodine for this event. 
 
The agreed upon format for the plenary day follows: 
 
12:00 - 12:30 Opening Remarks and Regional Issues (15 
minutes each).  Speakers: HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed 
Al-Nahyan and NEA A/S William Burns 
 
12:30 - 12:45 MEPI Overview.  Speaker: Request NEA DAS 
- Liz Cheney 
 
12:45 - 1:15 Bilateral Topics, Summary and Next Steps. 
Speakers: MFA U/S Abdullah Rashid Al-Noaimi and 
Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba 
 
1:30 - 1:45 Article 98 signing ceremony. 
 
2:00 - 3:30 UAEG hosted lunch 
WAHBA