US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI1157

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001157 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NP AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2014 
TAGS: MNUC, PARM, PGOV, PHSA, PREL, KTIA, TC 
SUBJECT: PRIORITY OF PSI SHIP BOARDING AGREEMENTS - 
UAE ACTION PLAN 
 
Ref:  (A) State 79456, (B) State 79091, (C) State 
65561, (D) 03 State 272470, (E) 03 State 254587, (F) 
03 Abu Dhabi 2988 
 
Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba, reasons 
1.4 (a), (d) and (h). 
 
1. (C) Summary: Post concurs with Ref B statements 
about the Proliferation Security Initiative's (PSI) 
importance, and understands that concluding ship 
boarding agreements is a high priority.  Senior UAE 
Government officials at the second round of Strategic 
Partnership talks in Abu Dhabi on March 21 expressed 
interest in how the UAE could play a role in the PSI. 
The Deputy Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi told the 
Ambassador on April 11 that he welcomed receiving the 
information on our ship boarding agreement and the UAE 
is interested in principle.  He has asked us to work 
with his Deputy COS of the Armed Forces and a meeting 
is now scheduled for the week of April 17th to discuss 
a PSI ship boarding agreement.  End Summary. 
 
2. (C) U/S Bolton previewed PSI with the UAEG during 
his visit here in June 2003 (Ref F), and post has 
delivered PSI points, including the Statement of 
Interdiction Principles in the summer and fall of 2003 
(Refs D,E).  More recently, post has delivered Ref A 
points on the PSI anniversary meeting, urging the UAEG 
to make a public statement of support for the PSI and 
its Statement of Interdiction Principles by mid-April. 
Post also has delivered Ref C points and a draft ship 
boarding agreement.  Our aim is to determine the 
UAEG's receptivity to a PSI boarding agreement. 
 
3. (C) The Ambassador met with Shaykh Mohammed bin 
Zayed and discussed the ship boarding agreement. 
Shaykh Mohammed expressed interest in the agreement. 
He told the Ambassador that he had forwarded the 
information to Deputy Armed Forces COS, Major General 
Hamed Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithy with instructions to 
work with the Embassy on the dossier. 
 
4. (SBU) USLO Chief and Polchief will meet with Deputy 
Armed Forces COS and staff to reinforce the importance 
of a ship boarding agreement with the UAE, as well as 
the USG's willingness to send a delegation to the UAE 
to assist with negotiations.  We will provide an 
update of our PSI action plan after our meeting the 
week of April 17th with Deputy Armed Forces COS MGen 
Hamed Thani. 
 
WAHBA