Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05LONDON1257
2005-02-11 15:31:00
SECRET
Embassy London
Cable title:  

TAKING ACTION AGAINST HEZBOLLAH AND HAMAS

Tags:  PGOV PINR PREL PTER UK XF 
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O 111531Z FEB 05
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0429
INFO CIA WASHINGTON DC
DIA WASHDC
NSC WASHDC
WHITEHOUSE WASHDC
S E C R E T LONDON 001257 


EUR FOR A/S JONES, DAS DAVIES; NEA FOR A/S BURNS, DAS
SATTERFIELD; S/CT FOR POPE; NSC FOR VOLKER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/30/2014
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL PTER UK XF
SUBJECT: TAKING ACTION AGAINST HEZBOLLAH AND HAMAS

REF: A. LONDON 1011

B. SECRETARY 15

Classified By: Charge David Johnson. Reasons 1.4(B) and (D)

S E C R E T LONDON 001257


EUR FOR A/S JONES, DAS DAVIES; NEA FOR A/S BURNS, DAS
SATTERFIELD; S/CT FOR POPE; NSC FOR VOLKER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/30/2014
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL PTER UK XF
SUBJECT: TAKING ACTION AGAINST HEZBOLLAH AND HAMAS

REF: A. LONDON 1011

B. SECRETARY 15

Classified By: Charge David Johnson. Reasons 1.4(B) and (D)


1. (S) SUMMARY: The Prime Minister's commitment to the
Secretary to proscribe the political wings of Hezbollah and
Hamas coupled with the March 1 London meeting to support the
Palestinian leadership provide us with our best opportunity
in three years to leverage significant change in HMG policy
towards both organizations. There are two choke points along
the road to this objective. The first is within the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office and the second is the Home Office.
We will continue to press the case in both places, but
recommend that Washington officials use their exchanges with
the British Embassy and meetings with senior HMG officials to
remind them of the Prime Minister's commitment to proscribe
and the importance we place on it. Getting over the hurdle
may ultimately require the Secretary's intervention with Home
Secretary Clarke. END SUMMARY


2. (S) We have been following up the Prime Minister's
February 4 commitment to Secretary Rice that HMG would
proscribe (i.e., designate as a Foreign Terrorist
Organization) the political wings of Hezbollah and Hamas (Ref
B). According to the Foreign Office, there is pressure to
proscribe before the UK-hosted "London Meeting on
Strengthening the Palestinian Authority," which takes place
on March 1 (Ref A). We met again today, February 11, with
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials from the
Counter Terrorism Policy Directorate (CTPD) to discuss where
matters stood.


3. (S) CTPD officials told us Foreign Secretary Straw's
letter to Home Secretary Clarke requesting proscription of
both (Ref A) has not yet left the Foreign Office. (Note: The
FCO can initiate a proscription, but the legal power to
proscribe a terrorist organization rests with the Home
Office. End Note.) The draft is sitting with the Arab-Israel
Group in the FCO's Middle East and North Africa Directorate
(MENAD),which is considering proscriptions' implications to
the Middle East peace process. These "political
considerations" will impact the final tone of Straw's letter
to Clarke, according to CTPD. CTPD is pressing for Straw to
take "a tough line" with Clarke.


4. (S) Once Straw's request to proscribe the political wings
of Hezbollah and Hamas arrives at the Home Office, CTPD
officials say Clarke and his team may be reluctant to act on
it. Bitten by a series of legal setbacks over counter
terrorism policy, Clarke is apprehensive about employing any
of his more "strident" counter terrorism powers, including
proscription, CTPD told us. According to CTPD, No.10 is
prepared to weigh in on the issue, but CTPD officials also
recommended to us that U.S. officials weigh-in directly with
Clarke as well once Straw's letter has arrived at the Home
Office. UKNSA Shienwald has given the Charge the same
signal. We will certainly do so. But depending on the state
of play as March 1 approaches, it may be appropriate for the
Secretary to telephone Clarke directly or meet with him
during her February 28-March 1 visit.

Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm


Johnson