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.

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