ROMANIA: TERRORISM FINANCE COORDINATION OFFICER

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 001707

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS, S/CT - PATTY HILL, INL/C/CP - STEVEN
PETERSON, AND IO/PSC - JOHN SANDAGE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2016
TAGS: KTFN ETTC KVPR EFIN PTER PREL RO
SUBJECT: ROMANIA: TERRORISM FINANCE COORDINATION OFFICER

REF: SECSTATE 181096

Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Jennifer Bonner for reaso
ns 1.5(b) and (d)


1. (C) The following information is geared to reftel cable
request:

A) Contact information for TFCO:

John Rodgers; Economic Section Chief; 4021 200-3440;
rodgersjr@state.gov; rodgersj@state.sgov.gov;

B) Contact information for deputy TFCO:

Benjamin Rockwell; Deputy Economic Section Chief; 4021
200-3436; rockwellba@state.gov; rockwellb@state.sgov.gov;

C) Suggestions on how to improve coordination:

Post has an active and long-standing anti-money laundering
and anti-terrorism financing program coordinated by TFCO,
operated by the Department of Treasury,s Office of Technical
Assistance and financed through USAID,s Support for East
European Democracy (SEED) fund. However, Seed-funded
programs are being phased out in the face of Romania,s
accession to the European Union, to take place on January 1,

2007. Post will continue to closely interact with GOR
counterparts, but will lack the previous resources available
to provide relevant training to anti-money laundering
authorities. Post has identified several areas in need of
continued assistance, including improving supervision of
casinos, exchange houses, insurance houses, securities
exchange houses, etc. Post welcomes inclusion in regional
initiatives in Southeast Europe, and believes that the
Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI) Law
Enforcement Center in Bucharest could serve as a vehicle for
such initiatives.

(d) Post verifies the accuracy of the information contained
in reftel chart.
Taubman