MONGOLIA: 2002 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

UNCLAS ULAANBAATAR 000877 S/CT FOR REAP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER MG SUBJECT: MONGOLIA: 2002 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT REF: STATE 201772 OUR RESPONSES ARE KEYED TO PARAGRAPH DESIGNATORS IN REFTEL: A) MONGOLIA CONTINUES ITS RHETORICAL AND DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST TERRORISM. MONGOLIA IS WILLING TO SHARE INTELLIGENCE AND COOPERATE IN ANY OTHER WAY TO FIGHT TERRORISM. MONGOLIA'S MINISTRIES HAVE BEEN SLOW IN WORKING WITH THE CENTRAL BANK TO DEVELOP THE REGULATIONS AND TOOLS NECESSARY TO ENSURE NO TERRORIST ORGANIZATION CAN USE MONGOLIA'S FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND TO ADEQUATELY SCRUTINIZE INTERNATIONAL BANKING TRANSACTIONS. B) NOT APPLICABLE. C) NOT APPLICABLE. D) THE UNITED STATES AND MONGOLIA HAVE NOT SIGNED AN EXTRADITION TREATY. E) SEE A) ABOVE. F) SEE A) ABOVE. MONGOLIA PARTICIPATED IN AN ARF COUNTER- TERRORISM WORKSHOP IN MARCH AND SUPPORTS U.S. COUNTER- TERRORISM EFFORTS IN THAT FORUM. G) THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF MONGOLIA PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, TERRORISTS, OR TERRORIST GROUPS. H) THE GOVERNMENT OF MONGOLIA MADE NO PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A TERRORIST SUPPORTING COUNTRY OR A TERRORISM ISSUE. I) THE GOVERNMENT HAS BECOME MORE AWARE OF TERRORISM AS A PROBLEM THAT COULD IMPACT MONGOLIA. UNTIL SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 MOST MONGOLIAN OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC DID NOT CONSIDER TERRORISM AN ISSUE OF CONCERN IN THIS RELATIVELY COHESIVE, HOMOGENEOUS SOCIETY. THE GOVERNMENT GAINED A MORE URGENT PERCEPTION THAT MONGOLIA IS POTENTIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM FOLLOWING THE HOSTAGE TAKING AT A THEATER IN MOSCOW EARLIER IN THE YEAR AND IS REVIEWING ITS FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL SECURITY TO DETERMINE WHERE THESE SYSTEMS NEED TO BE IMPROVED. J) NOT APPLICABLE. K) NOT APPLICABLE. L) NOT APPLICABLE. DINGER