VZCZCXRO9758
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHAD #0395 0671351
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081351Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8488
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0546
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0198
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000395 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP 
STATE FOR NEA/RA DMONOSSON 
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR DBELL 
COMMERCE FOR EWEANT AND FDAVIDSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ECON KBCT AL IS AE
SUBJECT: ANTI-BOYCOTT TEAM WORKS WITH UAEG OFFICIALS 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: On March 5, Department of Commerce Bureau of 
Industry and Security (BIS) officials Edward Weant and Fred 
Davidson, Department of State official Danielle Monosson, and 
Econoff met with Ministry of Economy (MOE) officials 
Undersecretary Abdullah Al-Saleh and Legal Advisor Issa 
Baddour to discuss the Arab League boycott of Israel. This 
was the third meeting between BIS and MOE officials to 
harmonize the legal requirements of both countries with 
respect to boycott issues.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) Over the last 18 months, the Commerce Department's 
Office of Antiboycott Compliance (OAC) has worked with the 
MOE to harmonize the legal requirements of both countries 
with respect to boycott issues.  On March 5, OAC officials 
Edward Weant and Fred Davidson, Department of State official 
Danielle Monosson, and Econoff met with Ministry of Economy 
officials Under Secretary Abdullah Al-Saleh and Legal Advisor 
Issa Baddour to discuss the Arab League boycott.  Both sides 
discussed language that would be used in commercial 
documents, such as letters of credit and contracts that would 
not violate U.S. Commerce antiboycott regulations and meet 
UAE import law requirements.  Al-Saleh noted the UAEG's 
agreement with portions of the substitute language for 
commercial documents (for secondary and tertiary 
boycott-related terms) provided by the USG.  He also said the 
MOE passed the substitute language to six UAE companies. The 
U/S noted that the numbers of boycott requests will likely 
increase because trade between the U.S and the UAE is 
increasing. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Al Saleh stated that only five or six companies are 
problematic in generating boycott requests.  However, the USG 
team provided the U/S with the names of thirteen companies in 
the UAE which generated boycott requests, reported to the OAC 
in the third quarter of 2006.  The U/S assured the USG team 
that several of the listed companies have already changed 
their boycott request language, and he promised to follow up 
with those not already contacted by the MOE.  Al Saleh also 
noted the UAEG cannot force private companies to use the 
Ministry of Economy's suggested boycott language, but would 
recommend that all companies follow the Ministry's 
suggestion. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Issa Baddour, Ministry of Economy Legal Advisor, 
speculated the agreed substitute language will decrease the 
number of prohibited requests submitted by UAE companies.  Al 
Saleh noted that MOE officials visited all UAE entities that 
generated boycott requests in 2005 and explained the 
substitute language.  OAC Director Edward Weant suggested the 
MOE appoint a UAEG point of contact that U.S. company 
representatives could contact if a problem with boycott 
language arises.  This UAEG point of contact would work with 
the U.S. company, the UAE entity and the U.S. Embassy to 
resolve the issue.  Al Saleh responded by assuring that if 
any UAE entity proposes boycott language, "the U.S. Embassy 
can contact Issa Baddour to resolve the matter with the UAE 
company." 
 
¶5. (SBU) Al Saleh, Issa Badour, and the antiboycott team also 
discussed outstanding issues regarding mutually agreeable 
substitute language.  Al Saleh said he will meet with the 
Central Bank to discuss the proposed changes, and his office 
will then contact the OAC. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment:  The UAEG continues to stress its 
commitment to eliminate secondary and teriary boycott 
requests and has closely cooperatedwith the OAC to develop 
language that meets the legal requirements of both countries. 
 This visit provided an important opportunity to give MOE 
officials more clarity on the Commerce regulations and to 
work toward finalizing an agreement on appropriate substitute 
language.  The UAEG could address incidents of prohibited 
language from the private sector, if there were the political 
will to do so.  The USG needs to maintain the momentum of 
addressing the Arab League boycott with the UAEG, including 
raising the matter during upcoming high-level bilateral 
meetings.   End comment. 
 
¶7. This cable has been cleared by the party. 
SISON