UAE tightens control on export of military goods

DUBAI, Aug 31 (Reuters) The United Arab Emirates issued a new law today to control the export of military equipment or dual-use items, following US calls for measures to stop sensitive goods reaching Iran.

The UAE, a federation of seven emirates, includes Dubai, one of the biggest re-export centres in the region situated across a short stretch of water from the Islamic Republic.

The United States has called on the UAE to increase scrutiny of its exports and re-exports as part of Washington's efforts to isolate Iran over its nuclear programme.

The new law, details of which were published by the official WAM news agency, gives the authorities power to restrict or ban the import, export or re-export of goods deemed a threat to the UAE's national security, foreign policy, natural resources, public health and safety or the environment.

It also bans the export or re-export of ''strategic goods'', including arms and military hardware, chemical and biological materials and dual-use items without a special licence, and orders creation of a special commission to monitor trade in potentially sensitive items.

''(This is) to guarantee that these goods are not circulated by unlicenced individuals and to prevent them from reaching countries or parties that the commitments of the state under international agreements and pacts do not allow them to reach,'' WAM said.

The ban is not limited to named items, but extends to any goods and technologies deemed by the special commission to fall into the category or items the merchant knows can be used as conventional weapons or weapons of mass destruction.

EXPLOSIVE DEVICES WAM did not name any countries, but the United States warned the UAE in December that it could take action if the Gulf state failed to halt the flow of technology to Iran and Syria that can be used to make improvised explosive devices.

Washington has accused both Syria and Iran of allowing military equipment into neighbouring Iraq, where such improvised bombs are one of the deadliest weapons used in the insurgency against US and coalition troops.

Chris Padilla, assistant secretary of commerce for export administration, said in a speech in Washington there had been an ''alarming lack of export oversight by the government of UAE''.

''The United States is increasingly disturbed by the diversion of goods to Iran and Syria through various ports in the UAE,'' he said, warning of unspecified US measures if problems continued.

The United States has been working with the UAE for several years to help it develop an export control law through technical assistance and training.

The new law comes into effect a month after its publication and violators face up to a year in jail and a fine.

''The new federal law seeks to standardise procedures throughout the UAE, since geographically-limited procedures would not provide the desired result of banning or restricting a particular commodity, and because varying or differing control procedures would disrupt trade in the country,'' WAM said.

Reuters KK GC2006