US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI2968

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HIGH PROFILE UAE GOVERNMENT OUTREACH ON FTA

Identifier: 05ABUDHABI2968
Wikileaks: View 05ABUDHABI2968 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Abu Dhabi
Created: 2005-07-03 09:56:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: ETRD EINV ELAB ECON PREL USTR TC
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
null
Diana T Fritz  08/29/2006 03:32:58 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLAS        ABU DHABI 02968

SIPDIS
CXABU:
    ACTION: AMB
    INFO:   POL ECON DCM

DISSEMINATION: AMB
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: ECON:ACURTIS
DRAFTED: ECON:ELWILLIAMS
CLEARED: CG:MCARVER

VZCZCADI683
RR RUEHC RUEHZM RUCNWTO
DE RUEHAD #2968 1840956
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030956Z JUL 05
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0522
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUCNWTO/WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002968 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/TPP/MTA, NEA/ARPI, NEA/PI 
STATE PASS USTR FOR DOUG BELL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, EINV, ELAB, ECON, PREL, USTR, TC 
SUBJECT: HIGH PROFILE UAE GOVERNMENT OUTREACH ON FTA 
 
 
1. (U) The UAE government has been actively pursuing 
high-level outreach to the press and UAE business community 
on the benefits of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the 
United States.  Minister of Economy and Planning Sheikha 
Lubna Al Qasimi and Minister of State for Finance and 
Industry Dr. Mohammed Khalfan bin Kharbash (the co-chairs of 
the UAE FTA negotiating team) have both made prominent press 
releases lauding the expected economic benefits the UAE would 
experience from an FTA with the United States.  Anticipated 
benefits include freeing access to U.S. markets, promoting 
technology transfers to the UAE private sector, boosting 
domestic industrial growth, and hastening economic 
diversification.  Sheikha Lubna also discussed UAE actions in 
order to meet the needs of FTA and WTO obligations, including 
planned revisions to the UAE's commercial laws to bring them 
in line with international developments (i.e. permit full 
foreign ownership of companies in certain sectors).  These 
articles were prominently displayed on the front of the 
business sections of several UAE papers. 
 
2. (U) In addition to public statements, Sheikha Lubna and 
Dr. Khirbash have also meetings with key stakeholders on the 
benefits of an FTA. Dr. Khirbash met with the Dubai Economic 
Council, a body comprised of the leading economic and 
business stakeholders in Dubai, to discuss progress on the 
FTA.  The continuous press reports and meetings indicate that 
the UAE is dedicating more time and resources to ensuring 
that the UAE public is more informed about the progress and 
benefits of a Free Trade Agreement, addressing one of the 
earlier complaints from UAE businesses that the UAEG was not 
informing necessary stakeholders of the benefits or progress 
of an FTA. 
SISON 

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