VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAD #0105/01 0560940
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 250940Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0364
INFO GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 000105 
 
SIPDIS 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2035/02/25 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER EFIN AF AE IR
SUBJECT: D/S Wolin Discusses Global Recovery with UAE Officials 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Richard G. Olson, Ambassador, State Department, U.S. 
Embassy Abu Dhabi; REASON: 1.4(B), (D) 
 
TREASURY FOR WOLIN, LEVEY, COHEN, BAUKOL, MENDELSOHN, MUNDACA 
 
STATE FOR EEB, AND NEA/ARP 
 
COMMERCE FOR LOCKE 
 
USTR FOR KIRK 
 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary. On 15-16 February 2010, Treasury Deputy Secretary 
Neal Wolin met with UAE officials to review progress in the global 
economic recovery. UAE officials expressed approval of U.S. 
measures to restore global growth and stressed the resilience of 
the UAE's economy in navigating Dubai's debt woes. Wolin met with 
Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi 
Investment Authority (ADIA) Managing Director Sheikh Ahmed bin 
Zayed al Nahyan, Minister of State for Financial Affairs Obaid al 
Tayer, Minister of Foreign Trade Sheikha Lubna al Qasimi, Minister 
of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed al Gergawi, Central Bank Governor 
Sultan bin Nasser al Suweidi, Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC) 
Managing Director Khalifa al Kindi, and Ahmed al Tayer, who serves 
as Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and 
Chairman of Emirates - National Bank of Dubai (E-NBD). 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) Wolin engaged in outreach events connecting with young Arab 
leaders, entrepreneurs and students, hosted by Abu Dhabi's Tawteen 
initiative (preparing young Emirati nationals for private sector 
employment) and the Dubai School of Government. He also attended a 
lunch hosted by Dubai Supreme Fiscal Debt Committee Chairman Sheikh 
Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum, who was joined by 14 top economic 
decision makers from UAE, Abu Dhabi and Dubai government entities. 
End Summary. 
 
 
 
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ECONOMIC RECOVERY 
 
----------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶3. (C) Wolin provided an overview of relevant economic data 
indicating that the U.S. economic recovery is on firmer ground, but 
much work remains ahead. He discussed U.S. GDP growth, 
unemployment, investment, fiscal stimulus, taxes, mortgage markets, 
trade, deficits, labor productivity, bank capitalization and 
financial sector reform. With respect to Dubai's debt 
restructuring, Wolin urged the UAE be transparent, 
non-discriminatory with lenders, and try to manage through the 
crisis as quickly as possible in the interest of the UAE economy 
and international capital markets. Wolin stressed the value placed 
on the U.S.-UAE partnership, and emphasized the deep importance of 
UAE strength to the U.S. Government. 
 
 
 
¶4. (S/NF) UAE officials praised U.S. measures to stabilize the 
global economy. Governor Suweidi stated that the stimulus package 
"did miracles" and helped change the direction of the global 
economy. He said the engineers of the package should be thanked. He 
also pointed to measures implemented by the UAE government to 
promote growth and stabilize the banking sector. Suweidi agreed 
that difficult issues will still arise, but speculated that the 
most difficult period is in the past. He reaffirmed the UAE's 
intent to retain the dirham-dollar peg and saw no need for a 
revaluation. 
 
 
 
¶5. (S/NF) Suweidi reviewed overinvestment in the UAE's real estate 
sector and the resulting impact on the UAE banking sector. He said 
banks will lose money, but that there is no issue of insolvency, 
pointing to high capitalization rates and the UAE's strong fiscal 
position. The Governor expects Dubai's economy to suffer for 10-12 
years as it absorbs excess capacity. He expects haircuts on Dubai 
World related debts, but did not offer possible numbers. He 
acknowledged that certain UAE banks may need additional 
governmental support, depending on the outcome of the restructuring 
 
talks. 
 
 
 
¶6. (S/NF) ADIC MD Khalifa al Kindi described the excessive and 
rapid growth of UAE banks - pointing out that from 2003-2008, the 
UAE banking sector witnessed balance sheet growth greater than 
experienced for the entire preceding 30 years. He described 
property values in Dubai and Abu Dhabi today as significantly 
overvalued, even though 40-70% declines have already been marked. 
He mentioned a 2008 report by Jones Lang LaSalle that recorded real 
estate prices in Dubai trading at a 30% premium to Manhattan, where 
Khalifa al Kindi believed a 50% discount made economic sense. 
 
 
 
¶7. (S/NF) Khalifa al Kindi noted varying degrees of transparency 
and accounting integrity at UAE banks in light of needed write 
downs and NPLs stemming from exposure to Dubai debt, disgraced 
Saudi conglomerates Saad/Gosaibi, UAE real estate more broadly, and 
overstretched UAE consumers. With regard to rumored haircuts on 
Dubai World related debt, Khalifa retorted that haircuts of any 
significant size would entirely wipe out the capital of a few UAE 
banks, and substantially damage others. If such haircuts are in 
fact imposed, he expects both local and international banks to sue. 
He found it unexplainable that with current financial conditions, 
certain UAE banks continued recording profits and paying healthy 
dividends, when they should instead be conserving capital, taking 
provisions and recognizing losses. 
 
 
 
¶8. (S/NF) Minister of State for Financial Affairs Obaid al Tayer 
speculated that UAE economic recovery would lag the U.S. by 9 
months. He projected growth in the UAE to be 1.5 - 2.5% in 2010, 4 
- 5% for 2011-2014, and then 5 - 7% after 2014. He said Dubai 
infrastructure is already built, and that no more is needed 
following years of heavy investment in ports, roads, hotels, 
housing, transportation, etc. 
 
 
 
¶9. (S/NF) Obaid al Tayer commended UAE government steps to support 
the banking sector and noted exceptionally high capital adequacy 
ratios averaging 19.9%. He said UAE banks are well positioned for 
further provisioning and NPLs, but added that if one or two banks 
are hurt by the Dubai World restructuring "between the Central 
Bank, Ministry of Finance and federal government, we are going to 
take care of the banks...we will support them." He speculated that 
2010 will be the bottom year for UAE banking sector performance. 
 
 
 
¶10. (S/NF) On the Dubai World restructuring, Obaid al Tayer stated 
that the Dubai Fiscal Support Fund will be talking to banks over 
the next 2-3 weeks, hopefully adding clarity to the situation. He 
agreed with Wolin's call for transparency, insisting that 
transparency is essential if the UAE is going to be a global 
player. He admitted that the UAE is late in conforming to IMF data 
transparency guidelines (the GDDS), adding "we can't get there 
overnight, but we are headed there and taking the right steps." He 
declined to comment on market rumors floating  possibilities of a 
40% haircut, but suggested that some circles may be "testing the 
market." 
 
 
 
¶11.  (S/NF) Obaid al Tayer said the UAE is trying to implement 
faster decision making processes. He said Abu Dhabi is already 
setting up a debt management office and the federal government is 
working with the World Bank on a federal debt management office, 
with a formal law on the subject hopefully no more than 2-3 months 
away. He shared that other less advanced Emirates didn't even have 
budgets, raising further obstacles to transparency. 
 
 
 
¶12.  (C) Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed al Gergawi expressed 
confidence that Dubai will remain the business capital for the 
Middle East despite the current debt situation: "the world has 
changed, and Dubai will change." He stressed that Dubai is a city 
within a country and praised the strength of the UAE's federal 
system - a key refrain acknowledging financial support from Abu 
 
Dhabi. He acknowledged that Dubai took risks, but pointed to 
Dubai's newly built infrastructure and other acquired assets that 
can be sold or otherwise monetized. He said that outside of Dubai 
World, other Dubai government related entities (GREs) would not 
have problems with their debt, assuming that the global recovery is 
not derailed. 
 
 
 
¶13.  (C) Gergawi emphasized the strategic importance of Dubai to 
the MENA region and to the United States. He held out Dubai as an 
important model pushing the rest of the region to open their 
economies and liberalize their societies. He ticked off the values 
embodied in UAE and Dubai society, including tolerance, 
entrepreneurship, and middle class upward mobility similar to the 
American dream. Dubai and the UAE give young Arabs a path, a place 
to exchange ideas and meet people. Gergawi pointed to Dubai's 
efforts to build a  moderate media outlet in the Middle East that 
serves to promote American values and interests. He shared a 
personal story, admitting that he was anti-U.S. in high school, 
until he spent time in the U.S. as a student and developed personal 
bonds with Americans, including an English teacher that was Jewish. 
He said on a recent visit to New York, he took his kids to a Jewish 
synagogue led by a Syrian rabbi. 
 
 
 
¶14.  (C) Commenting on Dubai's crisis, DIFC Governor Ahmed al Tayer 
bluntly stated, "thank god for support from Abu Dhabi and the 
federal government." He said some sectors are showing signs of 
growth and stability, such as tourism , logistics, trade and 
aviation, but real estate remained deeply troubled, citing the 
embattled mortgage finance firms Amlak and Tamweel that got caught 
with an asset liability mismatch. He said Dubai now has sufficient 
infrastructure to power growth for 30 years. On the Dubai World 
restructuring, he confirmed that the UAE would not discriminate 
between local and overseas lenders, unlike the Saudi resolution of 
the Saad/Gosaibi blow up. He touted the DIFC as a platform needed 
to serve the region, and noted increased interest and activity 
coming from India and Russia in particular. 
 
 
 
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SWFs 
 
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¶15. (C) Wolin thanked ADIA for its support of the U.S. and its 
confidence in the U.S. economy. He reiterated the strong 
partnership that exists between the U.S. and the UAE on a variety 
of political, economic and strategic issues, and the important 
cooperation between ADIA and the Treasury Department on open 
investment policies. ADIA MD Sheikh Ahmed echoed the strategic 
nature of the political-economic relationship between the U.S. and 
the UAE. 
 
 
 
¶16. (S) Sheikh Ahmed confirmed that 45% of ADIA's investments are 
U.S. based and described the U.S. as the most important market for 
investment, adding there is "no other choice." He expressed 
confidence that the U.S. is doing better than other countries in 
dealing with its problems and asked when the U.S. economy would no 
longer rely on government spending. ADIA officials asked about the 
role of investment v. consumption in sustaining growth in the U.S, 
the status of U.S. financial sector regulatory reform, and the 
forecasts for distress in U.S. commercial real estate debt. 
 
 
 
¶17. (C) Sheikh Ahmed noted that ADIA pays close attention to 
political issues when deciding where to invest. He described Iran's 
destabilizing role in the region, adding that neighbors should 
support, not threaten, one another. 
 
 
 
¶18. (C) ADIC MD Khalifa al Kindi asked Wolin about ADIC's inquiry 
regarding its status under Section 892 of the Internal Revenue 
 
Code. Khalifa raised the visit of ADIC officials to Washington in 
October 2009 and a January 2010 letter addressed to Acting 
Assistant Secretary Michael Mundaca. Wolin stated that Treasury was 
currently reviewing the January letter and pledged to personally 
keep abreast of the issue to ensure that ADIC receives a timely 
response. 
 
 
 
¶19. (C) ADIC officials peppered Wolin with questions regarding 
financial sector reform and the so called "Volcker Rule." Wolin 
detailed the purpose, scope and procedural issues pertaining to 
financial sector reform and the  Volcker Rule. ADIC asked about the 
mechanics of restricting proprietary trading by bank holding 
companies, and in particular the possible impact on bank holding 
companies that finance, sponsor or serve as a general partners in 
hedge funds. ADIC asked about Treasury's overall views on hedge 
funds and their status as "dark pools" of capital. ADIC also asked 
about reforms that would address rating agencies in light of their 
involvement in birthing the financial crisis. 
 
 
 
¶20. (C) ADIC asked about the current administration's views on 
SWFs, to which Wolin responded that the U.S. welcomes all foreign 
investment. 
 
 
 
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TRADE 
 
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¶21. (C) Wolin affirmed the USG commitment to open investment 
policies and emphasized that the CFIUS process is concerned solely 
with issues of national security. Minister of Foreign Trade Sheikha 
Lubna stated that U.S. leadership in the world economy remains 
paramount as the U.S. remains "the compass." She acknowledged the 
need for the U.S. to be more inward focused during this period of 
economic recovery, but stated that this situation can create 
anxiety as the trade policy part of the U.S. has gone silent. U.S. 
visibility on this front is very important to protect and promote 
global trade. Lubna pointed to very positive visits to the UAE by 
Secretary Geithner and various congressional delegations, and 
pleaded for similar trade-oriented visits by Commerce Secretary 
Locke and USTR Kirk. Lubna stressed opportunities in the knowledge 
and services sectors, including health care, education, renewable 
energy and nuclear. 
 
 
 
¶22. (C) Lubna pointed to high level trade visits between the UAE 
and China, Japan, South Korea and India, with UAE-India trade now 
reaching $48 billion annually. Wolin concurred with Lubna's 
assessment on the importance of government supporting trade 
relations and offered to discuss the issue with the Department of 
Commerce and USTR. 
 
 
 
¶23. (C) Wolin raised the Doha round and encouraged the UAE to relax 
foreign ownership controls in its financial services sector. Lubna 
suggested that the U.S. and UAE start an informal working group to 
identify easy and tough points surrounding the issue. Wolin 
concurred and offered Treasury DAS Baukol to coordinate the 
Treasury side; Lubna nominated her deputy Abdullah Saleh. 
 
 
 
¶24. (C) With respect to a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Lubna 
mentioned show stoppers including energy and companies law. She 
commented that returning to the table and failing to conclude an 
FTA would send a bad signal. Instead, Lubna recommended trying to 
make progress on issues where common ground can be reached so that 
successes can be exemplified. Lubna expressed confidence much 
progress could be achieved without pursuing an FTA and recommended 
the U.S. and the UAE establish a Joint Economic Committee similar 
to the one the UAE holds with the UK that would focus initially on 
services and IPR. Lubna suggested combining the Committee with the 
 
U.S.-UAE Business Council. 
 
 
 
This cable has been cleared by Treasury. 
OLSON