TERRORIST FINANCING: FRENCH PROPOSAL FOR

UNCLAS PARIS 004443 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIN PREL KTFN KCRM PTER FR UNSC SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCING: FRENCH PROPOSAL FOR MULTILATERAL SOLUTION TO CTC IMPASSE REF: STATE 111859 (NOTAL) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, not for internet (SBU) Per reftel, we spoke with GOF authorities about the French taking the lead on a multilateral approach to resolve the impasse in the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) with the Chinese and Brazilians over creating a set of counter- terrorism finance best practices that reference the Financial Action Task Force. According to Regis Pelissier, director for the Ministry of Economy's office of International Finance and Monetary Systems, France already presented its bilateral demarche to the Chinese, to no avail. We also spoke with Claudia Delmas-Scherer, Deputy in the MFA office for security in the bureau for strategic affairs, security and disarmament, who confirmed that France's bilateral efforts had borne no fruit. She expressed doubt that France could construct a multilateral solution in the FATF, noting that its Presidency ends June 30, but suggested that another possible forum might be the G7. She presumed that the UK would be amenable to take up the issue as it assumes the G7 Presidency. She added that France, of course, would join in any multilateral approach, including instructing its Embassies to engage in joint demarches. WOLFF#