US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI2209

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UAE and Iran free detained crews

Identifier: 04ABUDHABI2209
Wikileaks: View 04ABUDHABI2209 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Abu Dhabi
Created: 2004-07-04 13:09:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PREL MOPS IR TC
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
null
Diana T Fritz  02/06/2007 05:24:30 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
CONFIDENTIAL

SIPDIS
TELEGRAM                                            July 04, 2004


To:       No Action Addressee                                    

Action:   Unknown                                                

From:     AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 2209 - PRIORITY)        

TAGS:     PREL, MOPS                                             

Captions: None                                                   

Subject:  UAE AND IRAN FREE DETAINED CREWS                       

Ref:      None                                                   
_________________________________________________________________
C O N F I D E N T I A L        ABU DHABI 02209

SIPDIS
CXABU:
    ACTION: POL 
    INFO:   AMB USLO DAO RSO DCM P/M ECON 

DISSEMINATION: POL
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: CDA:RAALBRIGHT
DRAFTED: POL:JFMAYBURY
CLEARED: DAO:MWEAVER

VZCZCADI897
PP RUEHC RUEHZM RUEHDE
DE RUEHAD #2209 1861309
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 041309Z JUL 04
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4980
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 4119
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002209 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/NGA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, IR, TC 
SUBJECT: UAE and Iran free detained crews 
 
Ref: (A) Abu Dhabi 1987, (B) Abu Dhabi 1881 
 
Classified by Richard A. Albright, Charge d'Affaires, 
a.i., reasons 1. 5 (B) and (D). 
 
1. (U) The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a 
statement on July 1 announcing that the UAEG had 
released the Iranian crew and their fishing boat that 
had been seized on June 2 (see ref B).  UAE 
authorities determined that the crew had entered UAE 
territorial waters unintentionally, according to the 
official statement.  Meanwhile, a June 30 IRNA report 
cites Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza 
Asefi as saying that Iran had freed Emirati crews and 
their fishing boats seized June 13 in Iranian waters. 
While neither announcement specified exact dates of 
release, Asefi said that Iran acted following a 
similar move by the UAE to release Iranian sailors 
held on the same charges.  Iranian officials "have 
taken Iran's good relations with the UAE into 
consideration and have released all the Emirati 
sailors and their boats," he said. 
 
2. (U) The UAEG statement published in the Arabic 
daily Al-Ittihad said, "The UAE gives importance to 
the good relations with its neighbor, the Islamic 
Republic of Iran.  Because of that, the UAE initiated 
the release of all arrested Iranian crew members and 
boats after preliminary investigations with the ship's 
captain and crew, which determined that the crew had 
entered UAE territorial waters unintentionally." 
 
3. (C) Comment: As we noted in ref A, such boat 
seizures are commonplace at this time of year and we 
have no evidence that these actions are politically 
motivated. 
ALBRIGHT 

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