US disappointed over Blackberry ban in UAE

The United States has expressed its disappointment over the ban on Blackberry by the United Arab Emirates government and said this will set a dangerous precedent in free flow of information.

"We are disappointed at the announcement. We are committed to promoting the free flow of information. We think it's innovative. It's integral to an innovative economy and we will be clarifying with the UAE their reasons for making this announcement," State Department spokesman, P J Crowley, told reporters.

When asked if the US was ready to weigh in on behalf of a foreign company, he said, "It's not about a Canadian company. It's about what we think is an important element of democracy, human rights, and freedom of information and the flow of information in the 21st century."

This was the essence of the internet freedom speech by the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and it's an argument that the US makes to countries like Iran and China. "It's also an argument that we make to friends and allies of ours like the UAE," he said. Crowley said the US would clarify with the UAE about the reason behind such a move. "...but we think it sets a dangerous precedent."

He said that a country should open up its society to new technologies that have the opportunity to empower people.

"Rather than looking to see how you can restrict the specific technologies out of a security concern, which is understandable, but we think this is not necessarily the best way to accomplish that," Crowley said. The UAE has said that it had taken such a measure because of its national security concerns.

"We understand that concern, but the UAE has reasons to be concerned about how information can be used by those who wish to attack the UAE or others. But again, restricting technologies in the 21st century, we think, is a move in the wrong direction," Crowley said.