LATVIA: ACCEPTS IRANIAN DESIGNATIONS AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000486 SIPDIS INFO EU MEMBER STATES, ATHENS, BERLIN, BRUSSE, COPENH DUBLIN, HELSIN, LISBON, LONDON, LUXEMB, MADRID, PARIS, ROME, STOCKH, THE HA, USEU B, VIENNA PRIORITY DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR ISN, EB, IO, VCI, P, EUR, T, NEA, SCA, EAP, WHA TREASURY FOR TFI E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2017 TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP EFIN UNSC EUN IR LG SUBJECT: LATVIA: ACCEPTS IRANIAN DESIGNATIONS AND IDENTIFIER REQUEST; REJECTS IRANIAN EMBASSY OVERTURE REF: A. A) STATE 85197 ¶B. B) STATE 89511 ¶C. C) STATE 73219 Classified By: Ambassador Catherine Todd Bailey, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Acting Pol-Econ Chief delivered reftel demarches to Reinis Kalnins, MFA Senior Desk Officer for the Middle East and Africa Division, on June 28. Kalnins stated that the MFA would review the reftel A additions to the list of designated Iranian entities and individuals subject to E.O. 13382. Regarding the request for identifier and background information in reftel B, he said that the MFA was grateful for the information provided in the non-paper and that the GOL would certainly share any information they may obtain regarding Iranian individuals and entities. Kalnins was also provided reftel C information regarding the USG's UNSCR 1747 60-day Report, and he noted that Latvia had completed its 60-day report earlier in June. ¶2. (C) Kalnins said that he was not aware of any Iranian attempts to utilize the Latvian financial system or business community for its nuclear or weapons programs. He added that while the GOL does not maintain contact with the Government of Iran, the Latvian embassy in Sweden had recently been approached by the Iranian embassy there with an offer to initiate economic contacts. Kalnins said that the Latvian government rejected the approach. BAILEY