Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LONDON8394
2006-12-19 10:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy London
Cable title:  

NEXT STEPS ON THE TFTP: UK BUILDING COALITION

Tags:  ETTC EFIN PTER KTFN ECON EU UK 
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VZCZCXRO8597
OO RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHLO #8394 3531021
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 191021Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0999
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 008394 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE FOR S/CT, EB/ESC/TFS, EUR/PGI, EUR/ERA, EUR/UBI,
TREASURY FOR FRIESS AND JACOBSEN
NSC FOR HINNEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2016
TAGS: ETTC EFIN PTER KTFN ECON EU UK
SUBJECT: NEXT STEPS ON THE TFTP: UK BUILDING COALITION

REF: A. LONDON 8247


B. STATE 194473

Classified By: Economic Minister Counselor Mark Tokola for reasons 1.4(
b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 008394

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE FOR S/CT, EB/ESC/TFS, EUR/PGI, EUR/ERA, EUR/UBI,
TREASURY FOR FRIESS AND JACOBSEN
NSC FOR HINNEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2016
TAGS: ETTC EFIN PTER KTFN ECON EU UK
SUBJECT: NEXT STEPS ON THE TFTP: UK BUILDING COALITION

REF: A. LONDON 8247


B. STATE 194473

Classified By: Economic Minister Counselor Mark Tokola for reasons 1.4(
b) and (d).


1. (C/NF) Summary and Action Request: The UK sees the
emergence of a "coalition of the constructive," EU member
states willing to work together to develop solutions to
safeguard the terrorism finance tracking program (TFTP). The
UK intends to work with Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium,
Germany (in its capacity as incoming EU Presidency) and
possibly the Spanish to ensure that TFTP is not "ruined by
the privacy experts." Current UK thinking points to a
European Council decision that would resolve individual
member states' domestic legal problems as the best solution.


2. (C/NF) As it works building a coalition, the UK would
appreciate any information we can provide on exactly which
member state has what legal problem and also our views on
"what success looks like," i.e. what would we like to see as
an outcome of this process. We would appreciate Washington
guidance to respond to the UK's requests. End summary and
action request.


3. (C/NF) According to Sean Byrne, Senior Policy Adviser at
HM Treasury, the UK believes that a "coalition of the
constructive" is emerging. This coalition consists of EU
member states that agree on the need to put the security
aspects of TFTP ahead of the privacy concerns. Similarly,
they agree on the need for ministries of finance to get a
hold of the issue before the justice and home affairs
ministries turn it into solely a privacy issue. Byrne said
that the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Belgium are at the
core of the coalition. He added that the UK will start
reaching out to Germany (which assumes the mantle of
Presidency in January) and possibly Spain.


4. (C/NF) Byrne said that the UK's objective is to figure out
what needs to be done to ensure that TFTP can continue to
operate successfully. His current impression is that there
are enough member states that have domestic legal problems
with SWIFT's cooperation with TFTP that eventually the
European Council will have to agree on some type of measure
to give individual member states cover. Byrne acknowledged,
however, that there are other approaches to the problem,
ranging from doing nothing, seeking a technical fix such as
greater levels of informed consent, or allowing each member
state to come up with its own solution.


5. (C/NF) Byrne said that additional information from the
U.S. would be very helpful to the UK as it moves this issue
forward. First, Byrne asked for as much information as we
can share on exactly which member states have legal problems
with SWIFT and TFTP, and the nature of their legal problems.
This will help the UK come up with proposals on how to handle
this issue on an EU-wide basis. Second, Byrne requested
information on "what success looks like" to the U.S. so that
the UK can do its best to bring it about.

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