TERRORISM FINANCE: UK REQUESTS URGENT JOINT

S E C R E T LONDON 008157 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR S/CT, EB/ESC/TFS, EUR/PGI, IO/PSC, EUR/UBI, AND EAP/CM TREASURY FOR HEFFERNAN AND MENDELSOHN TREASURY FOR OFAC LURIE NSC FOR HINNEN USUN FOR TESSLER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2016 TAGS: ETTC EFIN PTER LVPR CVIS KTFN UK SUBJECT: TERRORISM FINANCE: UK REQUESTS URGENT JOINT DEMARCHE TO CHINESE ON AL GHABRA CASE REF: A. LONDON 7974 (NOTAL) ¶B. LONDON 7856 (NOTAL) Classified By: Economic Counselor Sandra Clark for reasons 1.4(b) and ( d). ¶1. (U) This is an urgent action request. See paragraph 3. ¶2. (S/NF) According to Giles Cutler of the FCO Sanctions Unit, the Chinese have indicated to the UK that they intend to place a hold on an eventual UK submission to the UN 1267 Committee of Mohammed Al Ghabra. The UK, which is convinced that the threat of a Chinese hold is related to the UK's hold on the Chinese submission of ETLO/SHAT, has decided that they will not/not submit Al Ghabra's name today as originally intended. The UK will instead lobby the Chinese in Beijing on Friday, December 1 at the Counselor level, and again on Monday, December 4 at the Ambassadorial level in an effort to convince the Chinese not to place a hold, paving the way for a UN submission on Monday, December 4. The UK will stress that this is an extremely high-priority case to them, and that it is not the type of case with which to play "politics." The UK does not believe, however, that they will be able to downgrade any derogatory information beyond that contained in the statement of case to share with the Chinese. ¶3. (S/NF) The UK has asked that U.S. Embassy Beijing conduct joint demarches with the UK Embassy. While the UK understands that Al Ghabra resides in the UK, Culter noted that many of Al Ghabra's potential targets are U.S.-UK interests. The UK believes that a U.S. presence during the demarches will underscore the importance of the request for UN designation. ¶4. (S/NF) Action requested: Please advise as soon as possible whether we agree to a joint demarche on Chinese officials with the UK. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm Tuttle