Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ATHENS2196
2007-11-09 13:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Athens
Cable title:
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: FATF STATEMENT AND GUIDANCE ON
how-toVZCZCXRO2935 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHTH #2196 3131331 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 091331Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS TO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0707 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHIK/AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI 1686
UNCLAS ATHENS 002196
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR T, ISN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC GR
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: FATF STATEMENT AND GUIDANCE ON
IRAN
REF: STATE 149648
Sensitive but unclassified, please handle accordingly.
UNCLAS ATHENS 002196
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR T, ISN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC GR
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: FATF STATEMENT AND GUIDANCE ON
IRAN
REF: STATE 149648
Sensitive but unclassified, please handle accordingly.
¶1. (SBU) Summary. EconOffs visited GOG officials regarding
the latest FATF statement regarding enhanced due diligence
for Iran entities. GOG officials stated that "Greek banks
are already required to conduct enhanced due diligence when
dealing with Iranain entities", therefore further official
communication on the matter is unnecessary. End Summary.
¶2. (SBU) DepEcon Couns and EconOff delivered points and
background in reftel on November 6 to George Zorbas,
President of Greece,s Financial Intelligence Unit. Zorbas
relayed that he had been briefed by the MFA on the FATF,s
public statement of concern regarding enhanced due diligence
related to transactions with Iranian financial entities. He
mentioned that it would be useful for him to receive from the
USG a non-paper with more complete information on specific
entities that the GOG could convey to financial institutions.
¶3. (SBU) Also on November 6, Econoff delivered points and
background in reftel to Ministry of Finance (MoF) officials.
MoF legal advisor, Christos Livadas explained that the MoF
had notified the appropriate regulatory authorities of the
FATF guidance and suggested that EconOff contact the
appropriate persons at the Bank of Greece (BOG) and the
Hellenic Capital Markets Commission (HCMC).
¶4. (SBU) EconOff contacted Panagiotis Kyriakopoulos,
Director of Supervision and Credit Related Financial
Institutions Department at the BOG. Kyriakopoulos was aware
of the FATF recommendations. The BOG had not/not sent credit
institutions specific guidance on this matter as &Greek
banks are already required to conduct enhanced due diligence
when dealing with Iranian entities.8 Post also conveyed
demarche to Michael Messinas of the HCMC, who stated that the
HCMC has not/not sent a circular.
COUNTRYMAN