BRITISH AGREE TO COSPONSOR TO 1518 COMMITTEE, BUT

S E C R E T LONDON 003228 SIPDIS SIPDIS EEB/ESC/TFS FOR JAY JALLORINA NEA/I-ECON TREASURY FOR OFAC E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/20/2017 TAGS: EFIN KTFN UK UNSC SUBJECT: BRITISH AGREE TO COSPONSOR TO 1518 COMMITTEE, BUT SUGGEST MODIFICATIONS TO TEXT REF: A. LONDON 3096 ¶B. LONDON 2984 ¶C. SECSTATE 104666 Classified By: A E/MIN COUNS. JOHN MCNAMARA, REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D) ¶1. (U) This is an action request, see paragraph 6. ¶2. (S) The British are seeking Ministerial approval to co-sponsor to the 1518 Committee names 2-7 in State 104666, according to Sarah Bennett and James Smith of the Sanctions Team, International Organizations Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office on August 16. Bennett expects approval to be granted within the next few days. However, the FCO suggested we modify the language we passed them so as to excise references to "current bad acts". They are worried that Russia, among others, may object that the descriptive language does not have enough information on these targets, previous involvement in the Saddam Hussein regime, as required by Resolution 1483, and contains too much on their current nefarious activities. The British government is eager to receive information on the current mala fides of these targets, however they want to strip out any material that could be challenged at the Committee. ¶3. (S) Specific areas of concern to the UK government are: - Target 2, Hasan Hashim Khalaf Al Dulaymi: The text refers to warrants for his arrest. FCO research found the warrants were for activity under the Saddam Hussein regime, but believe the link needs to be better explained in the text before going to the 1518 committee. Reference is also made to post-regime activity in 2003, which they feel is inappropriate to include under Resolution 1483. - Target 3 Ahmed Watban Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti: Need to make a stronger case about previous activity, not just as the son of previous Minister of Interior. FCO also believes Russia will object to information on current activities. - Targets 4 and 5, the Yunis Al-Ahmad brothers: Need to make a stronger reference to why the father, Muhammad Yunis Ahmad (# 83 on the list) was listed in June 2005. In addition, the FCO says the listing of the father took place on June 22, 2005, not June 17, but acknowledge the discrepancy might be due to differences between when the committee approved the listing and when it was announced. - Target 7 Hatam Hamdan Al-Azawi: Need to better explain his relationship/duties under Saddam Hussein, and why we are listing him. ¶4. (S) The UK is on board with these listings, but they want to make sure the cases are cleaner and tighter in order to give the Russians and others less grounds to object. They also insist on a strong strategy to pitch this to the committee, as it has been over two years since we have gone after the Baathists using 1518. The FCO feel some on the Committee will ask, why we are going after the Baathists now? ¶5. (S) On the other side of the coin, the British government is very interested in the Syria angle and any information we can provide on what these targets are doing there, and how they are specifically engaging in Iraq. Their minister will ask questions about this, as will some Committee members, but FCO feels it should not be in the formal material being presented to the Committee. ¶6. (S) ACTION REQUEST: 1) Post requests the final text to be submitted to the 1518 Committee for targets 2-7 and shared with FCO. 2) Also, please advise USG views on how Syria (and Security Council members, particularly Russia and China) will likely react to these listings, and what our timeline is for submitting this to the Committee. 3) Please pass any additional information on the targets' current activities in Iraq and Syria that we can share with the British government. Post greatly appreciates Washington's assistance in meeting these requests. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm LeBaron