US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI4294

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 004294 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2014 
TAGS: PARM, PGOV, PREL, MASS, TC 
SUBJECT: SECRETARY OF THE NAVY ENGLAND'S VISIT TO THE UAE 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Michele J. Sison, for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C/NF) Summary:  Secretary of the Navy Gordon England 
visited the UAE November 23-24 and met with UAE Naval Forces 
Commander Rear Admiral Suhail Al Marar.  Their discussion 
covered cooperation between the U.S. and UAE Navy and Coast 
Guard, the UAE,s illegal immigration challenge, the lengthy 
Link 11 data transfer process, and UAE efforts to obtain an 
acoustic buoy sensing system.  End Summary. 
 
U.S.- UAE Naval Cooperation 
--------------------------- 
 
2. (C) Secretary England and RADM Suhail discussed the 
cooperative relationship between the two naval services. 
Suhail said he was very pleased that bilateral contacts had 
increased substantially after Operation Iraqi Freedom naval 
operations had dropped off.  Suhail also mentioned that 
bilateral staff talks with VADM Nichols and the COMUSNAVCENT 
staff had gone well, and that the exercise program was a 
great benefit to the UAE Navy. 
 
3. (C) Secretary England asked if the UAE Navy and other 
maritime forces had also been working with the U.S. Coast 
Guard.  Suhail said that there had been some contact, but he 
looked forward to improving that relationship. 
 
Illegal Immigration 
------------------- 
 
4. (C) Secretary England asked Suhail if the UAE had a 
substantial problem with illegal immigration, and how the UAE 
managed the problem.  Suhail spoke of the lengthy maritime 
coastlines on both the east and west coasts of the UAE, and 
the efforts of the UAE Naval Forces to coordinate border 
control efforts with the UAE Coast Guard.  He explained that 
the UAE Coast Guard is a separate service, but during a state 
of war, the Coast Guard comes under the control of the UAE 
Navy.  He stated that UAE authorities regularly capture 
illegal immigrants, and they are quickly processed for 
deportation. 
 
Improving Communications 
------------------------ 
 
5. (C/NF) When asked how the U.S. could assist the UAE Navy, 
Suhail mentioned the time-consuming process associated with 
the Link 11 data transfer capability.  He said, however, that 
he understood the necessity of waiting for the Communications 
Security Agreement implementation tied to the UAE Air Force 
F-16 acquisition. 
 
6. (C) Suhail thanked Secretary England for the improved 
information flow provided by the JMCIS link with 
COMUSNAVCENT, and said he looked forward to further improving 
the link to provide more information in a more timely manner. 
 Embassy DAO staff pointed out that the UAE military is in 
line for CENTRIX capability and should expect to see this 
improved system in early 2005. 
 
Acoustic Buoy Sensing System 
---------------------------- 
 
7. (C/NF) Suhail concluded the meeting after discussing UAE 
Navy efforts to obtain an acoustic buoy sensing system that 
can provide scoring and simulation of naval gunfire while a 
ship is at sea.  He asked Secretary England for information 
on similar U.S. Navy systems and implementation results. 
Secretary England gave Suhail further details of the system, 
 
SIPDIS 
along with a list of equipment.  (Comment: During Suhail,s 
visit to the U.S. in March 2004, he received a briefing on 
the U.S. Navy,s Integrated Maritime Portable Acoustic 
Scoring and Simulator system, or IMPASS.  According to DAO, 
it appears that the UAE Navy will pursue a similar system 
through direct commercial sales.  However, there remains a 
chance that they may request a Foreign Military Sales case. 
End comment.) 
SISON