Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CANBERRA1560
2007-10-23 07:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Canberra
Cable title:
AUSTRALIA SET TO IMPOSE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON 418
how-toVZCZCXRO6623 OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHBY #1560 2960719 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 230719Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8447 INFO RUEHXQ/ALL EUROPEAN UNION POST COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 1016 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 2112 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE 9299 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 2817 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON IMMEDIATE 5131 RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0541 RUEHBN/AMCONSUL MELBOURNE PRIORITY 4636 RUEHBAD/AMCONSUL PERTH PRIORITY 2928 RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY PRIORITY 2805
C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 001560
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS A.COPE
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/ANP, EB, CA AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CVIS ETRD AS BM
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA SET TO IMPOSE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON 418
BURMESE OFFICIALS
REF: A. STATE 146862
B. CANBERRA 1480
C. STATE 142626
D. CANBERRA 1457
Classified By: Political Counselor James F. Cole for reasons 1.4 (b),(d
).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 001560
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS A.COPE
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/ANP, EB, CA AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CVIS ETRD AS BM
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA SET TO IMPOSE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON 418
BURMESE OFFICIALS
REF: A. STATE 146862
B. CANBERRA 1480
C. STATE 142626
D. CANBERRA 1457
Classified By: Political Counselor James F. Cole for reasons 1.4 (b),(d
).
1. (C) In a meeting with poloffs on October 23, Jeannie
Henderson, Director of the Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma
Section, DFAT, advised that Foreign Minister Downer had
agreed to a recommendation to impose targeted financial
sanctions against 418 individuals associated with Burma's
military regime. The Reserve Bank of Australia planned to
release publicly on October 24 the names of the individuals,
who included members of the State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC),Cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, senior
military officials, regional military commanders, and spouses
and children of the foregoing. Sanctions would take effect
the same day.
2. (C) Henderson said the sanctions would block financial
transactions to and from individuals in Australia. Unlike
U.S. law, however, Australian law did not allow for seizure
of assets (Ref B),she added. Also, unlike the United
States, Australia's sanctions were directed only at
individuals and did not include corporate entities.
3. (C) Henderson explained that the Australian approach to
sanctions closely paralleled that of the EU, targeting
"positions" within the Burmese government, as well as some
financiers. As the GOA decision to impose sanctions had been
taken before the government entered into caretaker status in
advance of elections, the sanctions could proceed to be
implemented, she added.
4. (C) Regarding further measures, Henderson expected Burma
to be on the agenda of both the forthcoming East Asia Summit
(EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). Canada wanted to
use the Burma issue as an initial case for the ARF's new
Friends of the Chair, but Australia opposed having such a
sensitive issue taken up by an as-yet-untested mechanism.
MCCALLUM
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS A.COPE
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/ANP, EB, CA AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CVIS ETRD AS BM
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA SET TO IMPOSE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON 418
BURMESE OFFICIALS
REF: A. STATE 146862
B. CANBERRA 1480
C. STATE 142626
D. CANBERRA 1457
Classified By: Political Counselor James F. Cole for reasons 1.4 (b),(d
).
1. (C) In a meeting with poloffs on October 23, Jeannie
Henderson, Director of the Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma
Section, DFAT, advised that Foreign Minister Downer had
agreed to a recommendation to impose targeted financial
sanctions against 418 individuals associated with Burma's
military regime. The Reserve Bank of Australia planned to
release publicly on October 24 the names of the individuals,
who included members of the State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC),Cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, senior
military officials, regional military commanders, and spouses
and children of the foregoing. Sanctions would take effect
the same day.
2. (C) Henderson said the sanctions would block financial
transactions to and from individuals in Australia. Unlike
U.S. law, however, Australian law did not allow for seizure
of assets (Ref B),she added. Also, unlike the United
States, Australia's sanctions were directed only at
individuals and did not include corporate entities.
3. (C) Henderson explained that the Australian approach to
sanctions closely paralleled that of the EU, targeting
"positions" within the Burmese government, as well as some
financiers. As the GOA decision to impose sanctions had been
taken before the government entered into caretaker status in
advance of elections, the sanctions could proceed to be
implemented, she added.
4. (C) Regarding further measures, Henderson expected Burma
to be on the agenda of both the forthcoming East Asia Summit
(EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). Canada wanted to
use the Burma issue as an initial case for the ARF's new
Friends of the Chair, but Australia opposed having such a
sensitive issue taken up by an as-yet-untested mechanism.
MCCALLUM