(C) NO DECISION YET ON IRAQI ASSETS IN BAHAMAS BANK

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 005415 SIPDIS STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS GGLASS AND NROTHSTEIN STATE FOR S/CT SFOX, IO/PHO APEREZ E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2013 TAGS: EFIN ECON ETTC PREL KU IZ SUBJECT: (C) NO DECISION YET ON IRAQI ASSETS IN BAHAMAS BANK REF: A. KUWAIT 5207 ¶B. SECSTATE 311703 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Frank C. Urbancic, Reasons 1.4(b) and (e) ¶1. (C) The acting head of the Central Bank of Kuwait's Anti-Money Laundering Unit, Talal Alsayegh, told us November 22 and December 1 that its investigation of the $85 million in Iraqi assets frozen in the Bahamas is not yet complete. Alsayegh said that the joint Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Central Bank investigatory team was still gathering information from some of the Kuwaiti banks involved. Although Alsayegh expects that the investigation will be completed soon, he did not give a specific deadline. He also noted that he has been in direct contact with OFAC on this matter. Post will continue to press the GOK for a timely decision. URBANCIC