Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08ABUDHABI257, UAEG REPORT ON ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08ABUDHABI257.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08ABUDHABI257 2008-02-27 11:19 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Abu Dhabi
VZCZCXRO8380
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHAD #0257/01 0581119
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271119Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0476
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0596
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0248
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 000257 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA 
STATE PASS TO USTR JBUNTIN 
COMMERCE FOR EWEANT AND FDAVIDSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON KBCT PREL IS AE
SUBJECT: UAEG REPORT ON ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT 
 
REF: A) E-MAIL AL-SALEH/JOHN DATED 02/25/2008, B) ABU DHABI 169 
 
Sensitive but unclassified, handle accordingly 
 
1. (U) This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 4. 
 
2. (SBU) MinEcon U/S Abdullah Al-Saleh passed the following e-mail 
update on UAE actions to eliminate secondary and tertiary 
applications of the Arab League boycott to Econ Chief on February 
25.  Al-Saleh had committed to providing this report during 
Econchief's February 6 meeting (ref b).  The report has also been 
e-mailed to USDOC/BIS. 
 
3. (SBU) Begin Text 
 
Re: Progress report on the substitute language for primary boycott 
in the UAE relevant commercial documents 
 
With reference to your visit on February 6th 2008 and following the 
visit of Mr. Edward Weant III, Director of the Office of Antiboycott 
Compliance Bureau of Industry and Security, and his team to the UAE 
in mid 2007, and based on the email of Mrs. Cathleen Ryan of July 
8th 2006 with regard to the substitute language for primary 
boycott-related terms and conditions in relevant commercial 
documents and my email of May 26th 2007 to Mrs. Ryan, we would like 
to note the following: 
 
1. Secondary and tertiary boycott have been terminated in the United 
Arab Emirates based on the Council of Ministers resolution number 
(462/17) of 1995, which came into full effect from the date of 
issuance thereon. This is in line with the Gulf Cooperation Council 
decisions. 
 
2. The Ministry of Economy has sent letters to all institutions and 
companies mentioned in the lists provided to us by the US Embassy in 
Abu Dhabi for the years 2006 and 2007, in which we asked them to 
revise relevant commercial documents to reflect the substitute 
language agreed with the US Office of Antiboycott Compliance Bureau 
of Industry and Security. 
 
The Ministry of Economy has received confirmation from all of those 
entities; most have amended the language in accordance with the 
agreed substitute language while others are in the process of 
amending their documents to be in line with the substitute language. 
 
 
We are also conducting periodic checks to make sure that all 
relevant entities are in conformity with the Council of Ministers 
decision referenced above and abide by the substitute language. 
 
The reported requests appearing in the January-September 2007 report 
of the US Office of Antiboycott Compliance with regard to the UAE 
are mostly permissible, and in comparison with other countries in 
the region reflect the increasing trade between our two countries. 
It is clear as well that several of the entities mentioned in the 
2006 [lists] are no longer there, which is an indication that they 
have revised the boycott language in their commercial documents and 
we are following up with those that have recently entered the list. 
 
 
It should be noted that some of the entities listed in the 2007 
report have recently informed us that they have revised their 
language to be in conformity with the substitute language sent to 
them by the Ministry. 
 
3. On the substitute language for primary boycott-related terms and 
conditions in relevant commercial documents: 
 
   For Contracts 
 
The language reads: 
 
"Contractor/Supplier/Bidder acknowledges that the import and customs 
laws and regulations of the United Arab Emirates shall apply to the 
furnishing and shipment of any products or components thereof to the 
United Arab Emirates". 
 
As agreed by the US-BIS office, this language is permissible and not 
reportable by a U.S. person-recipient. 
 
  For Tender Documents 
 
The language reads 
 
"Contractor/Supplier/Bidder acknowledges that the import and customs 
 
ABU DHABI 00000257  002 OF 003 
 
 
laws and regulations of the United Arab Emirates shall apply to the 
furnishing and shipment of any products or components thereof to the 
United Arab Emirates". 
 
As agreed by the US-BIS office, this language is permissible and not 
reportable by a U.S. person-recipient. 
 
For Purchase Orders 
 
The language reads: 
 
"Contractor/Supplier/Bidder acknowledges that the import and customs 
laws and regulations of the United Arab Emirates shall apply to the 
furnishing and shipment of any products or components thereof to the 
United Arab Emirates". 
 
As agreed by the US-BIS office, this language is permissible and not 
reportable by a U.S. person-recipient. 
 
For Applications of Letters of Credit 
 
The language reads: 
 
We certify that the beneficiary is a (  ) person (or, country of 
origin) and the suppliers of goods and services are (  ) persons 
(or, country of origin). 
 
As agreed by the US-BIS office, this language is permissible and not 
reportable by a U.S. person-recipient. 
 
For Letters of Credit 
 
The language reads: 
 
"On no condition may an Israeli bank be permitted to negotiate this 
credit." 
 
As agreed by the US-BIS office, this language is permissible but 
reportable by a U.S. person-recipient. 
 
Requests for Certificates of Origin 
 
The language reads: 
 
" .... certify that these goods are of (  ) origin and acknowledges 
that the import and customs laws and regulations of the United Arab 
Emirates shall apply to the furnishing and shipment of any products 
or components thereof to the United Arab Emirates." 
 
As agreed by the US-BIS office, this language is permissible but 
reportable by a U.S. person-recipient. 
 
Based on the above and with regard to both countries' shared 
objective of moving gradually towards substitute language for 
primary boycott-related terms and conditions in all relevant 
commercial documents that is permissible and not reportable by a 
U.S. person-recipient, we would propose amending the text on 
requests for certificates of origin and that of the letters of 
credit that are currently permissible but reportable to read as 
follows: 
 
For Certificates of Origin: 
 
" .... certify that these goods are of (  ) origin and acknowledges 
that the import and customs laws and regulations of the United Arab 
Emirates shall apply to the furnishing and shipment of any products 
or components thereof to the United Arab Emirates." 
 
Please confirm that compliance with the above text, which 
encompasses in general the substance of the language in contracts 
and tender documents, would make UAE requests for certificates of 
origin permissible and not reportable under the US Export 
Administration Regulations. 
 
For Letters of Credit 
 
Based on our initial discussion, the language that was discussed and 
agreed as permissible but reportable has been circulated to 
operating banks in the UAE through the Central Bank, and we have 
received confirmation from several banks affirming that they have 
incorporated the amended language in their documents. However, we 
shall be working closely with the Central Bank to come up with a 
language that would meet their concerns and at the same time ensure 
that it would not be reportable by a U.S. person-recipient under the 
US Export Administration Regulations. The proposed revised language 
 
ABU DHABI 00000257  003 OF 003 
 
 
is: 
 
"Subject to the laws and regulations of the United Arab Emirates, 
any bank is permitted to negotiate this credit." 
 
Please confirm that compliance with the above text would make UAE 
requests for letters of credit permissible and not reportable under 
the US Export Administration Regulations. 
 
With the above proposed revised language for letters of credit and 
certificates of origin we are pleased to note that all substitute 
language will be permissible and not reportable for boycott-related 
terms and conditions in all relevant commercial documents under the 
US Export Administration Regulations. 
 
We look forward to receiving the confirmation of the relevant US 
authorities on the above at the earliest possible, in addition to 
any comments that you may have in connection thereto. 
 
Please accept my highest regards, 
 
Best regards, 
Abdulla Bin Ahmed Al Saleh 
Under Secretary 
Ministry of Economy- Economy Sector 
 
End text. 
 
4. (SBU) Action Request:  The UAEG Ministry of Economy continues to 
work with the USG in an effort to resolve the secondary and tertiary 
aspects of the Arab League Boycott.  We request that Department and 
USDOC/BIS examine the proposed alternative language regarding 
certificates of origin and letters of credit to ensure that it 
complies with U.S. law.  End Action Request. 
 
Quinn