CONTACTS BETWEEN UN AGENCIES AND TERRORIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000358 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2015 TAGS: PTER UN SUBJECT: CONTACTS BETWEEN UN AGENCIES AND TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS - FEBRUARY 23, 2006 FOLLOW-UP MEETING WITH UN MALLOCH BROWN AND ORR REF: A. USUN 332 ¶B. 2006 STATE 18620 ¶C. 2005 STATE 228659 ¶D. 2005 GENEVA 3047 ¶E. 2005 STATE 118455 Classified By: AMBASSADOR ALEJANDRO D. WOLFF REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) In a follow-up discussions February 23 with Mark Malloch Brown (Chief of Staff to UNSYG Annan) and Bob Orr (Assistant SYG for Policy Planning),Ambassador Wolff reviewed his previous conversations with both and a separate discussion with UN Legal Counsel Nicolas Michel (reftel) regarding U.S. need to ensure UN adherence to our OFAC terrorist list in preventing inadvertent UN assistance to terrorists. Amb. Wolff said his conversation with Michel had not been satisfactory and was unlikely to yield results for the U.S. side without a firm push from Michel's superiors. Recalling his prior conversations with each, Amb. Wolff told Malloch Brown and Orr separately that this matter should and could be handled in a manner that protected both side's equities. If the UN was incapable of satisfying the U.S. that there was a commitment mechanism to prevent any fund transfers for any reason to individuals or groups listed by OFAC for involvement in or support of terrorism, we would be obliged to escalate. In particular, Wolff added, we would likely notify formally the UN that lapses in its vigilance on this score would place in jeopardy U.S. funding to the UN. ¶2. (C) Malloch Brown and Orr each responded that they understood the matter, agreed that we should identify a way to proceed that met both UN and U.S. concerns, and undertook to engage personally and get back to us with ideas. BOLTON