EU CLOSE TO A DECISION TO FREEZE MAOIST ASSETS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 004362

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2014
TAGS: PTER KTFN NP EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: EU CLOSE TO A DECISION TO FREEZE MAOIST ASSETS

REF: STATE 213824

Classified By: USEU Political Military Officer Jeremy Brenner for reaso
ns 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. The EU is "close" to taking a decision to
freeze Maoist assets. While there is some discussion of
tactics, there is an increasing awareness within the EU of
the need to act. End summary.


2. (C) USEU Poloff raised reftel points on freezing Maoist
assets with Bruno Hanses, South Asia officer within the
External and Politico-Military Affairs Directorate of the
European Council. Hanses told us that the thinking within
the EU has evolved considerably since the U.S. last raised
the issue. He said that the question of an assets freeze has
been discussed at length within the anti-terrorism
clearinghouse, and that the EU is "close to doing it."


3. (C) Hanses characterized the action as symbolic in nature
and said that there was some tactical consideration being
given to "keeping the issue in the fire" for a bit in order
to extract the maximum pressure from the threat before
actually implementing it. There was, he assured us, an
increasing awareness within the EU on the need for the action.

Scott