ALEMAN DEMARCHE TRIGGERS PLEDGE OF ACTION, BUT

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000287 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR D, WHA, EB/IFD/OMA, WHA/CAR, WHA/CEN; TREASURY FOR OASIA-JLEVINE DHS FOR CIS-CARLOS ITURREGUI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM KCOR DR NI SUBJECT: ALEMAN DEMARCHE TRIGGERS PLEDGE OF ACTION, BUT NICARAGUAN DIP NOTE NEEDED REF: A. 05 STATE 197220 ¶B. 06 SANTO DOMINGO 0238 ¶1. (SBU) The issue of Nicaraguan - Dominican cooperation in investigating the movement of funds laundered by Nicaraguan ex-president Aleman is long-standing, with a USG-brokered meeting between Dominican and Nicaraguan Attorney Generals occurring as early as June 2005. Poloff discussed the case with Assistant Attorney General for International Affairs Gisela Cueto on January 23. ¶2. (SBU) The Dominican government received a written request for assistance from the Nicaraguan Attorney General on August 25, 2005, but it appears that the Dominican Attorney General's office has provided no formal assistance to date to Nicaraguan authorities. In discussing the delay, Cueto implied that difficulties may have arisen because of the form of the Nicaraguan request; it was apparently not properly formatted or forwarded through diplomatic channels. ¶3. (SBU) Cueto has committed to forwarding the request to both the Financial Investigation Unit of the Superintendent of Banks, as well as the Attorney General's Department for the Prevention of Corruption, the Embassy suggests that the Embassy Managua advise the Nicaraguan government that a diplomatic note to the Dominican Ministry of External Relations might help move the process along.. ¶4. (SBU) Ambassador has raised the Aleman case twice with the Foreign Minister. Embassy will remain invested in this issue and will provide updates as the situation develops HERTELL