TERRORISM FINANCE COORDINATION OFFICER (TFCO):

S E C R E T ZAGREB 001385

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

EB/ESC/TFS, S/CT (PATTY HILL)
INL/C/CP (STEVEN PETERSON)
IO/PSC (JOHN SANDAGE)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2016
TAGS: KTFN KVPR EFIN ETTC PREL PTER HR
SUBJECT: TERRORISM FINANCE COORDINATION OFFICER (TFCO):
CROATIA

REF: SECSTATE 181096

Classified By: DCM Greg Delawie for reasons 1.4 b/d.


1. (SBU) The Terrorism Finance Coordination Officer (TFCO)
for Embassy Zagreb is Econ Section Chief Nicholas Berliner,
tel: 385-1-661-2229, email: berlinernr@state.gov. TFCO
Deputy is Marlene Nice, Economic Officer, tel:
385-1-661-2225, email: nicemm@state.gov.


2. (SBU) Small countries with limited resources, such as
Croatia, can benefit greatly from assistance in fighting
terrorist finance and money laundering. Contacts here have
complained that various international conferences and even
most assistance is too theoretical and does not get to the
nuts and bolts issues of how to effectively fight these
problems. Bringing in U.S. experts on a regular basis could
not only boost local capacity, but also establish
working-level contact networks that could enhance overall
effectiveness.


3. (C) Per reftel para 9d request, Croatia has a Financial
Intelligence Unit (FIU) that has authority to freeze
terrorist funds on its own authority for up to 72 hours
pending a court order; it has ratified the UN Convention on
Terrorism Financing; it has implemented UNSCRs 1267, 1373,
1390, and 1455; it has adopted anti-money-laundering
legislation; it is an Egmont member and it is a FATF member.
Croatia has issued freeze orders on several accounts of
individuals listed by the UN 1267 Committee. Cooperation
with the U.S. is good. FIU effectiveness, however, is
limited by a lack of trained personnel and bureaucratic
inefficiency.


4. (S/NF) Post is aware of no evidence of a HAMAS or
Hizballah presence in Croatia.
BRADTKE