Cablegate: Uk Pleased with U.S. Draft Text Unscr to Renew

VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLO #1690 1761636
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241636Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9015
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1215
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS LONDON 001690

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN KTFN ETTC PREL PTER UNSC UK
SUBJECT: UK PLEASED WITH U.S. DRAFT TEXT UNSCR TO RENEW
MANDATE OF 1267 MONITORING TEAM

REF: SECSTATE 66897

1. (SBU) Foreign Office officials Angus Stewart, Susie
Kitchens and Will Taylor, of the International Organisations
Department, told us June 24 the British government is
"pleased" with the U.S. draft 1267 Monitoring Team renewal.
HMG agrees with the need to keep the focus on stopping the
flow of funds to Al-Qaeda and Taliban. FCO also agrees that
we need to send a message to the public, courts (particularly
those in the UK and Europe), press and certain countries that
we are actively working to make the designation and review
process more open and transparent. Stewart said the UK would
sign up to most of the U.S. text, with a few tweaks,
primarily to the paragraph covering the Review Process (para
21.) Stewart said the European members of the UNSC, however,
are concerned about having a transparent process, and may
push for annual reviews of all designees. Stewart thought
the FCO could live with that requirement, but he doubted some
of the other British law enforcement, intelligence and
treasury agencies would be comfortable with the increased
workload.

2. (SBU) The key to a solution is coming up with a workable
review mechanism that combines a focus on stopping terrorist
funding with the need to ensure a fair and transparent
process, while mindful of the logistics any changes to the
process would entail, the officials said. The FCO believes
the current Focal Point process is perceived as too opaque,
and does not allow enough due process for designees. Stewart
said he is concerned that the Statement of Case is not
releasable to the designees. At the same time, Kitchens and
Taylor discussed the need to protect the credibility of the
Security Council and not create a mechanism that would
undermine its authority. FCO would also like the U.S. and UK
to hold steady against anticipated Russian attempts to nix
language that de-lists the dead.

3. (SBU) A solution can likely be worked out, the officials
said, and would rest on creating a reasonable review
mechanism that was efficient and open. To that end, Stewart
asked us to consider the mechanics of creating a review
process and what the burden would be to the USG of
regularized reviews (annual, every two years, x number per
year, etc.), as we are the biggest designators. The UK would
also like to see a system that allows for the addition to the
UN list of identifiers which are unearthed after the official
designation process is complete.
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