UK SUPPORTS BARRING NORTH KOREAN AQUISITION OF

S E C R E T LONDON 002785 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN, EAP, EUR AND INL; TREASURY FOR TFI E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2027 TAGS: PREL KNNP MNUC KH KS UK SUBJECT: UK SUPPORTS BARRING NORTH KOREAN AQUISITION OF ILLICIT CURRENCY-MAKING CAPACITY REF: STATE 94546 Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills, Jr. for reasons 1.4 ( b,d) ¶1. (S) On July 11, Poloff delivered reftel demarche apprising the British government of North Korean efforts to acquire the machinery and equipment to produce fraudulent U.S. currency. Foreign Office officials Kim Clarke, head of the Korea division, and Korea desk officer Kathy Heal were appreciative of the demarche and said HMG would support efforts to prohibit North Korea from acquiring such capacity, including through the acquisition of parts or equipment supplied in the United Kingdom. They said, however, that they were not familiar with the subject and would convey our demarche to colleagues in the Foreign Office who work with the Serious Organized Crime Agency and New Scotland Yard (the British police service). Clarke and Heal also pledged to consider how else to best take the matter forward. ¶2. (C) Poloff reiterated the offer, as in reftel, to provide further information and details to the British government as desired. ¶3. (C) Embassy Economic officers will convey demarche to counterparts to ensure it is being handled by officials within the British Government with responsibilities for currency and counterfeit currency. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm TUTTLE