TERRORISM FINANCE COORDINATION OFFICER (TFCO)

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 002206 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR EB/ESC/TFS JEAN CLARK, S/CT TODD KUSHNER, INL/C/CP STEVEN PETERSON, IO/PSC BETSY FITZGERALD, SA/INS, SA/RA TREASURY FOR OFAC PAUL LURIE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER KTFN KVPR EFIN ETTC PREL NP SUBJECT: TERRORISM FINANCE COORDINATION OFFICER (TFCO) REF: STATE 175637 TFCO -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Embassy Kathmandu's Terrorism Finance Coordination Officer (TFCO) is Deputy Chief of Mission Elisabeth I. Millard. Her phone number is 977-1-441-1179; classified e-mail: MillardEI@state.sgov.gov; unclassified e-mail: MillardE@state.gov. Deputy TFCO is Pol/Econ Officer Natasha Basley until November 10 and Pol/Econ Officer Jamie Dragon after November 14. The phone number is the same as listed above. Ms. Basley's classified e-mail is: BasleyN@state.sgov.gov; unclassified e-mail: BasleyNM@state.gov. Mr. Dragon's classified e-mail is: DragonJA@state.sgov.gov; unclassified e-mail: DragonJA@state.gov. Mr. Dragon is registered for the three day training course, PE-141 - Combatting Terrorism Financing, November 7-9, 2005. Suggestions -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Assistance, both technical and financial, from Washington agencies would make post's TF work more effective. Possible areas include helping the World Bank in its project to modernize Nepal's banking system and providing legislative advice. Nepal's banking system is not yet fully computerized; computerization would help His Majesty's Government of Nepal (HMGN) to track suspect individuals and their assets. In coordination with the World Bank, post and Washington agencies could work with Nepal Rastra Bank (Central Bank),which is HMGN's regulatory authority. We could also work with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs to encourage Nepal to draft legislation requiring banks to report any deposit above $10,000 (or a reasonable equivalent relative to local salaries),similar to the requirement in the U.S. Post plans to employ traditional PD tools/programs to support any message(s) aimed at encouraging Nepal to become more aware of terrorism financing and the means to combat it. We could use any Washington produced on the topic or organized videoconferences, speakers, op-eds, etc., with media and opinionmakers. Our TFCO Committee would be happy to work with Washington to help shape specifics for the Nepali audience. MORIARTY