US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI2631

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002631 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB/CIP FOR AJILLSON AND IO/T 
DEPT PASS NTIA AND FCC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/08 
TAGS: ECPS, AORC, TC 
SUBJECT:  UAEG RESPONDS TO U.S. PROPOSALS FOR THE 2003 
WORLD RADIOCOMMUNICATION CONFERENCE (WRC-03) 
 
REF: STATE 145955 
 
1.  (U) Classified by Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas 
E. Williams for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
2.  (U) This cable contains an action request; please see 
paragraph 7. 
 
3.  (C) Summary: Econoff delivered ref demarche 6/1 to UAE 
Ministry of Communications Undersecretary Abdullah Ahmed 
Lootah, and met with Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications 
Company International Affairs Manager Mohamed Al-Ghanim to 
further discuss the U.S. proposals for WRC-03.  Al-Ghanim 
confirmed that the UAE, through its participation in the 
Arab Common Proposal, is likely to support all of the U.S. 
proposals except for Agenda Item 1.24.  He also confirmed 
that Undersecretary Lootah would head the UAE delegation to 
WRC-03, which will consist of representatives from Thuraya, 
UAE monopoly telecom provider Etisalat, UAE media outlets, 
the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs Telecom Office.  End summary. 
 
4.  (C) Although the Arab countries are still fine-tuning 
the Arab Common Proposal for WRC-03 -- the salient points 
of which appear on ITU's website -- Al-Ghanim outlined for 
Econoff the UAE's position regarding the U.S. proposals, 
and speculated as to how each debate would be resolved.  He 
said that both the UAE and the Arab Common Proposal would 
support the United States on Agenda Item 1.5 on Radars And 
High Density Fixed And Mobile Services In The 5 GHz Band, 
and Agenda Item 1.26 on Earth Stations On Vessels (ESVs), 
although Al-Ghanim admitted that most countries will be 
reluctant to sign any treaty that measures unregulated use 
of ESVs from the "normal baseline" described in UNCLOS 
1982.  He mentioned that Syria continues to insist that 
each administration should determine its own point of 
measurement. 
 
5.  (C) Al-Ghanim stated that Agenda Item 1.24 on Allowing 
Commercial Fixed Satellite Service More Access Into The 
13.75-14.0 GhZ Band is very controversial, but is the most 
important item for both the Arab countries (because of 
Arabsat) and the United States.  Our interlocutor admitted 
that he is burdened by his responsibility to coordinate the 
Arab countries' position on Agenda Item 1.24, which is 
"very political."  The UAE and Thuraya, furthermore, do not 
have a direct interest in Agenda Item 1.24, but Al-Ghanim 
hopes to find a middle-ground among the Arab countries.  He 
has heard from his EU colleagues that a number of European 
countries will abandon the EU position on 1.24 and support 
either the U.S. or Arab proposal. 
 
6.  (C) Agenda Item 1.31 on Additional Allocations To The 
Mobile Satellite Service In The 1-3 Ghz Band is one of the 
few topics in which the UAE -- and Thuraya, in particular - 
- has a direct interest.  The L Band spectrum that Thuraya 
currently uses is nearing saturation, and the company's 
future depends on allocation of a different band.  Thuraya 
has lobbied for MMS spectrum allocation since WRC-97, and 
Al-Ghanim noted that WRC-03 is the company's last shot 
until the next WRC in 2007.  If Thuraya is permitted to use 
MMS spectrum, it is likely that Boeing would build the 
third Thuraya satellite to use this spectrum.  Al-Ghanim 
said that 17 of the 22 member countries have agreed to 
support allocation of MMS into regions 1 and 3 at the WRC- 
03.  The Emirati official acknowledged that the FCC could 
block approval of the proposal, but Thuraya believes it has 
received assurances from DoD that the USG will support the 
UAE's initiative. 
 
7.  (C) Comment and action request: Al-Ghanim is a very 
competent technocrat and negotiator, having graduated from 
Etisalat Technical College several years ago.  He is an 
Etisalat officer, seconded to Thuraya specifically for the 
purpose of coordinating the Arab Common Proposal for WRC- 
03.  Al-Ghanim asked Post to relay the message that the UAE 
delegation would like to meet with U.S. officials in Geneva 
just prior to, or at the beginning of, WRC-03.  He said 
"there are a lot of issues to work out with the U.S. team 
in advance."  Such a meeting may provide an opportunity for 
the U.S. delegates to seek concessions from the Emiratis on 
Agenda Items 1.24 and 1.31.  Post would appreciate any 
guidance that we could pass to our interlocutor regarding 
the possibility for such a meeting.  End comment and action 
request. 
 
Wahba