BAHRAIN: UNSCR 1737 - FREEZING ASSETS OF IRANIAN

UNCLAS MANAMA 000155 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS FOR BADKINS, S/CT FOR GNOVIS, NEA/ARP, IO/PSC FOR BFITZGERALD, ISN, P, AND T TREASURY FOR TFI ABU DHABI FOR OFAC JBEAL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTFN EFIN PTER BA CTR ECTRD SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: UNSCR 1737 - FREEZING ASSETS OF IRANIAN ENTITIES AND PERSONS NOT SPECIFICALLY LISTED IN THE ANNEX REF: STATE 16917 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶1. (U) NEA/ARP Office Director Alan Misenheimer and Econoff February 14 delivered reftel demarche concerning U.S. suggestions on how states can most fully implement the asset freeze required under UNSCR 1737 to Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) Director of Financial Institution Supervision Abdul-Rahman Mohammed Al-Baker, Head of Compliance Directorate Ahmed Bumtaia and Compliance Unit Analyst Bushra Al-Haddad. Al-Baker said that as a UN member, Bahrain was committed to enforce UNSCR 1737 and would do so. ¶2. (SBU) Director Misenheimer and EconOff also delivered reftel demarche to the Ministry of Interior Anti-Economic Crime Directorate's Anti-Money Laundering Unit (AMLU) Director Captain Bassam Al-Miraj. (Note: The AMLU is the U.S. FINCEN equivalent. It is responsible for investigating suspicious transactions, money laundering and terrorist finance cases but does not have regulatory authority. End Note.) Captain Al-Miraj said he was committed to enforcing UNSCR 1737 and, in fact, had already checked and re-checked for any Bank Sepah holdings in Bahrain and had found none. He assured Director Misenheimer of the Ministry's continuing support for bilateral cooperation on anti-money laundering and terror finance issues. ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ ********************************************* ******** MONROE