US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI5031

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 005031 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/PPD; NEA/ARP; NEA/FO; ECA; IIP/G/NESA; 
CA/EX; CA/FO; CA/VO; CA/P 
 
REF: ABU DHABI 4315 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS:  KPAO, CVIS, CMGT, ECON, EPET, BEXP, TC 
SUBJECT:  ADNOC EXECUTIVES AND STUDENTS ALLEGE MISTREATMENT OF 
VISITORS AT US PORTS OF ENTRY 
 
 
1.  (U) SUMMARY:  ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2003, ABU DHABI 
CONOFF AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ASSISTANT VISITED THE ABU DHABI 
NATIONAL OIL COMPANY (ADNOC) SCHOLARSHIP OFFICE.  DURING THIS 
MEETING, CONOFF DISCUSSED VISA PROCESSING DELAYS, DEPARTMENT 
OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) PROCEDURES AT US PORTS OF ENTRY (US 
POES), IMPROVEMENTS TO BOTH PROCESSES, AND NOTIFIED ADNOC 
EXECUTIVES OF THE NEW FINGERPRINTING PROCEDURES.  ALTHOUGH 
UNCONCERNED ABOUT THE NEW FINGERPRINTING PROCEDURES, THE ADNOC 
EXECUTIVES VOICED THEIR DISPLEASURE AT ALLEGED MISTREATMENT OF 
UAE STUDENTS BY DHS OFFICERS.  THEY NOTED THAT SUCH BEHAVIOR 
IS A PRIMARY REASON THEY RECOMMEND THEIR STUDENTS CHOOSE 
AUSTRALIA AND THE UK OVER THE US.  ADNOC SENT ONLY 4 NEW 
STUDENTS TO THE U.S. IN 2002 AND IS ONLY SENDING 2 NEW 
STUDENTS FOR 2003, DOWN FROM AN AVERAGE OF 100 TO 150 EACH 
YEAR.  SIMILAR VIEWS WERE EXPRESSED IN A VIDEOCONFERENCE ON 
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, WHERE UAE STUDENTS AND SCHOLARSHIP 
OFFICIALS URGED DHS AND STATE TO REVIEW USG ACTIONS AT ITS 
BORDERS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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NEW AND IMPROVED: FINGERPRINTS AND FASTER VISA PROCESSING 
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2.  (U) AS PART AN ONGOING OUTREACH PROGRAM TO STUDENTS, 
EDUCATORS, AND UAE SCHOLARSHIP OFFICIALS, CONOFF AND FSN 
CULTURAL AFFAIRS ASSISTANT MET WITH ADNOC SCHOLARSHIP OFFICE 
HEAD AHMED OBAID AL MANSOURI AND SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP OFFICER 
MOHAMMED NAWAR AL ABID.  CONOFF BEGAN BY EXPLAINING THE NEW 
FINGERPRINTING REQUIREMENTS FOR NIV APPLICANTS.  THE 
DEMONSTRATION INCLUDED PICTURES OF THE FINGERPRINTING DEVICE, 
COPIES OF ARTICLES ON THE PROCEDURES, AN EXPLANATION OF USE OF 
THE DEVICE, AND DREW UPON CA PRESS GUIDANCE TO ANSWER BASIC 
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCEDURES.  CONOFF NOTED THAT THE 
FINGERPRINTING PROCEDURES AND RECENT CHANGES TO THE VISA 
PROCESS ARE PART OF THE USG EFFORT TO INCREASE US SECURITY 
WHILE FACILITATING THE TRAVEL OF LEGITIMATE VISITORS. 
 
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FINGERS, SHMINGERS - TREATMENT AT BORDER IS THE CONCERN 
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3.  (SBU) MR. AL MANSOURI RAISED THE ISSUE OF STUDENT TURN 
AROUNDS AT US POES DUE TO NATIONAL SECURITY ENTRY/EXIT 
REGISTRATIONS SYSTEM (NSEERS) NON-COMPLIANCE.  MR. AL ABID 
ADDED THAT THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VISA PROCESS WERE MUCH 
APPRECIATED AND THAT THE FINGERPRINTING PROCEDURES ARE NOT A 
CONCERN.  THEIR PRIMARY CONCERN, HOWEVER, IS THE ALLEGED 
MISTREATMENT OF STUDENTS AND OTHER UAE CITIZENS AT US POES. 
MR. AL ABID STATED THAT 10 ADNOC SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS HAD 
FAILED TO COMPLY WITH NSEERS EXIT REQUIREMENTS FOR A NUMBER OF 
REASONS INCLUDING LACK OF SIGNAGE AT AIRPORTS AND CONFUSING 
INFORMATION (SEE REFTEL) AND HAVE BEEN TURNED AROUND.  THESE 
NSEERS VIOLATORS HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR FAILURE TO COMPLY BUT 
HAVE ALSO ALLEGED THAT THEY HAVE BEEN MISTREATED BY DHS 
OFFICERS AT US POES. 
 
4.  (SBU) MR. AL ABID EMPHASIZED THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT THAT 
STUDENTS AND VISITORS MUST BE FINGERPRINTED.  THE PROBLEM IS 
HOW RUDELY PEOPLE ARE BEING TREATED AT US POES.  THESE ACTIONS 
GIVE LEGITIMACY TO NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES ABOUT THE US.  ADNOC, 
WHICH USUALLY SENDS 100 TO 150 STUDENTS EACH YEAR TO THE US, 
SENT 4 NEW STUDENTS IN 2002 AND WILL ONLY SEND 2 NEW STUDENTS 
FOR 2003.  BEFORE SEPTEMBER 11TH, ADNOC HAD APPROXIMATELY 450 
STUDENTS IN THE US.  NOW, THE NUMBER HAS DIPPED TO 197, AND 
THIS TREND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE AS STUDENTS GRADUATE AND ADNOC 
DIRECTS NEW AND CURRENT STUDENTS TO STUDY IN AUSTRALIA AND THE 
UK.  "STUDENTS WANT TO GO TO THE US.  BUT THEY ARE TIRED OF 
BEING MISTREATED," HE NOTED. 
 
5. (U) MR. AL ABID RECOMMENDED THAT STUDENTS ALREADY IN THE US 
BE ALLOWED TO GO TO DHS OFFICES FOR FINGERPRINTING AND EXACT 
INSTRUCTIONS ON DEPARTING AND ENTERING THE US TO ENSURE THAT 
THEY ARE NOT HARASSED AT US POES.  IN ADDITION, HE SUGGESTED 
THAT A US IDENTIFICATION CARD BE ISSUED TO ALL STUDENT 
VISITORS TO ENSURE THEIR LEGITIMATE STATUS IN THE US IS 
RECOGNIZED.  "MAYBE THIS WILL REDUCE THE HARASSMENT THEY 
RECEIVE AT US POES," HE ADDED. 
 
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THINGS ARE IMPROVING - JUST WAIT AND SEE 
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6.  (U) CONOFF REPLIED THAT IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO 
VISA PROCESSING, AND VISITORS ARE BEING TREATED BETTER AT ALL 
US POES.  HE ADDED THAT ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT WOULD 
BE THE INSTALLATION OF EXIT CONTROLS AT ALL US POES.  THIS NEW 
EXIT SYSTEM WILL INCLUDE SELF-SERVICE KIOSKS THAT PROVIDE 
VISITORS INFORMATION ON PROPERLY EXITING THE US.  FINALLY, 
CONOFF NOTED THAT NSEERS VIOLATORS MAY APPLY FOR A NEW VISA 
AND EXPLAIN TO A CONOFF THEIR REASONS FOR NON-COMPLIANCE. 
MANY UAE STUDENTS HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED A NEW VISA AND 
RETURNED TO STUDIES IN THE US. 
 
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DRIVEN HOME AGAIN - LIVE VIA SATELLITE 
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7.  (U) ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2003, THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS 
OFFICE FACILITATED A DIGITAL VIDEOCONFERENCE (DVC) FOR 
STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND ADMINISTRATORS FROM THE HIGHER 
COLLEGES OF TECHNOLOGY AND THE ALL-WOMEN ZAYED UNIVERSITY AND 
OFFICIALS FROM MAJOR UAE SCHOLARSHIP OFFICES.  IN WASHINGTON, 
PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED CA AND PD OFFICIALS, A DHS BUREAU OF 
CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE 
STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM (SEVP) OFFICE, AND 
OFFICIALS AND UAE STUDENTS FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY 
(GW). 
 
8. (U) DURING THE DVC, EACH WASHINGTON PARTICIPANT GAVE AN 
IMPRESSION OF VISA PROCESSING AND REGULATIONS AND LIVING, 
WORKING, AND/OR STUDYING IN THE US POST-SEPTEMBER 11TH.  GW 
OFFICIALS AND STUDENTS RECANTED FEW PROBLEMS WITH VISA 
PROCESSING AND ENTRY AND EXIT FROM US POES AND EMPHASIZED THE 
IMPORTANCE OF EACH UNIVERSITY'S INTERNATIONAL STUDENT OFFICE 
AS THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR ANY PROBLEMS NEW STUDENTS MAY 
ENCOUNTER.  THE UAE STUDENTS FROM GW NOTED THAT THEY HAD 
EXPERIENCED NO HARASSMENT OR PROBLEMS SINCE SEPTEMBER 11TH, 
ALTHOUGH ONE RECOMMENDED THAT STUDENTS "STAY AWAY FROM THE 
MIDWEST AND MORE CONSERVATIVE AREAS OF THE COUNTRY."  THE CA 
AND DHS OFFICIALS FOCUSED ON IMPROVING STUDENT UNDERSTANDING 
OF VISA PROCESSING AT AN EMBASSY OR CONSULATE, HOW THE STUDENT 
AND EXCHANGE VISITOR INFORMATION SYSTEM (SEVIS) REGISTRATION 
AND FORM I-20 ARE GENERATED, HOW THESE AND OTHER DOCUMENTS ARE 
NECESSARY AT ENTRY AND EXIT, AND WHAT STUDENTS SUBJECT TO 
NSEERS REQUIREMENTS MUST DO AT POES AND AFTER THEY ARRIVE. 
 
9. (U) AT THE BEGINNING OF THE QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PERIOD, 
QUESTIONS FROM THE UAE PARTICIPANTS FOCUSED ON DHS TREATMENT 
OF STUDENTS AND VISITORS AT US POES.  ONE UAE STUDENT NOTED 
THAT HE WAS TURNED AROUND SIMPLY BECAUSE HE COULD NOT FIND THE 
APPROPRIATE OFFICE. LIKEWISE, SCHOLARSHIP OFFICIALS FROM ADNOC 
AND ABU DHABI INVESTMENT AUTHORITY, WHICH ALONE FUNDED THE 
STUDY OF APPROXIMATELY 1,500 UAE STUDENTS IN THE US PRIOR TO 
SEPTEMBER 11TH, ASSERTED THAT DHS OFFICERS' TREATMENT OF 
STUDENTS AND VISITORS AT US POES WAS THE PRIMARY REASON 
STUDENTS WERE CHOOSING OTHER COUNTRIES.  BOTH OFFICIALS URGED 
DHS TO REVIEW DHS OFFICERS' TREATMENT OF STUDENTS AND VISITORS 
AT POES AND TAKE ACTION. 
 
10.  (SBU) COMMENT:  WHILE CONTENTIOUS, THE DVC ACHIEVED TWO 
IMPORTANT AND POSITIVE RESULTS.  FIRST, THE DVC PROVIDED AN 
OUTLET FOR STUDENTS AND SCHOLARSHIP OFFICIALS TO VENT THEIR 
FRUSTRATIONS WITH WASHINGTON-BASED USG OFFICIALS AT THE 
STRICTURES OF NEW VISA AND POE PROCEDURES.  SECOND, AND MOST 
IMPORTANTLY, THE STUDENTS AND ADMINISTRATORS IN ATTENDANCE SAW 
FIRST HAND THAT THE PROCEDURES ARE NOT AS DIFFICULT AS THE 
UAE'S CONSPIRACY THEORISTS MAKE THEM OUT TO BE AND, FROM 
CREDIBLE EMIRATI SOURCES, THAT THE US IS STILL THE BEST PLACE 
TO TRAVEL AND STUDY.  WE WILL NEED TO CONTINUE THIS OUTREACH 
EFFORT TO DEAL WITH BOTH THE MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT THE U.S. 
VISA/DHS PROCESS AND WITH THE AGGRESSIVE EFFORTS FROM OTHER 
COUNTRIES TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS MISUNDERSTANDING TO PROMOTE 
THEIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING ALTERNATIVES. 
 
11. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: ADNOC'S DECISION TO DIRECT ITS 
STUDENTS ELSEWHERE HAS TROUBLING LONG TERM REPERCUSSIONS FOR 
U.S. ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL INTERESTS, ESPECIALLY TO THE 
EXTENT IT REFLECTS A LARGER TREND.  FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE HEARD 
FROM CONTACTS AT OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM THAT ITS UAE PARTNERS IN 
THE MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR DOLPHIN PROJECT (TO BRING NATURAL GAS 
FROM QATAR TO THE UAE) HAVE DECIDED TO SEND STUDENTS TO FRANCE 
FOR TRAINING, BECAUSE OF VISA PROBLEMS.  AS ADNOC AND ADIA 
PERSONNEL ARE INCREASINGLY TRAINED OUTSIDE THE U.S., THE U.S. 
NOT ONLY LOSES THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN UAE OFFICIALS, BUT 
ALSO RISKS LOSING CONTRACTS AND EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES AS THESE 
OFFICIALS NO LONGER HAVE THE TIES TO THE U.S. THAT THEY ONCE 
DID.   END COMMENT. 
 
WAHBA