CANADA: STATUS OF LOCAL LAWS IMPLEMENTING IRAQ

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 001367

SIPDIS

STATE FOR L/UNA AND EB/ESC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2013
TAGS: PREL IZ CA UNSC
SUBJECT: CANADA: STATUS OF LOCAL LAWS IMPLEMENTING IRAQ
SANCTIONS

REF: STATE 123640

Classified By: Pol MC Brian Flora for reasons 1.5(b) and (d).

1.(C) We raised the questions contained in reftel with
Christopher Hull, Iraq political and trade relations officer
in DFAIT's Middle East Division, on May 13. Hull indicated
that Canada had regulations in place (known as the UN/Iraq
regulations) to implement its obligations under UNSCR 661 and
other Iraq UNSC resolutions. Hull said there are two options
for undoing the regulations once the UNSC lifts the Iraq
sanctions: the current regulations can either be modified, or
the current regulations can be repealed altogether. He
indicated that adoption of the sanctions-lift resolution
would not be sufficient in itself to permit import and trade
in Iraqi products; some action will have to be taken
regarding Canada's UN/Iraq regulations.


2. (C) As to the time required, Hull said that the repeal of
the regulations could be accomplished fairly quickly.
However, if the regulations are either modified or replaced
with new regulations, this would take longer. He noted that
the process of repealing them would be initiated by DFAIT, go
to the Privy Council for review, and then to the Governor
General for formal approval. Hull felt it would be difficult
to begin the process before UNSC adoption of the
sanctions-lift resolution, although he promised to confer
with DFAIT's legal division on this point.
CELLUCCI