Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BRUSSELS214
2008-02-07 18:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
USEU Brussels
Cable title:
IRAN: EU AGREES TO EXPAND ASSET FREEZE AND TRAVEL
how-toVZCZCXRO2129 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHFL RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHBS #0214 0381806 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 071806Z FEB 08 FM USEU BRUSSELS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000214
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE PASS TREASURY FOR U/S LEVEY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2018
TAGS: PREL ETTC KNNP PHUM IR EUN
SUBJECT: IRAN: EU AGREES TO EXPAND ASSET FREEZE AND TRAVEL
BAN LIST AFTER THIRD UNSCR
REF: LONDON 00305
Classified By: Alice Tidball, Deputy Political Counselor, for reasons 1
.4(b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000214
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE PASS TREASURY FOR U/S LEVEY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2018
TAGS: PREL ETTC KNNP PHUM IR EUN
SUBJECT: IRAN: EU AGREES TO EXPAND ASSET FREEZE AND TRAVEL
BAN LIST AFTER THIRD UNSCR
REF: LONDON 00305
Classified By: Alice Tidball, Deputy Political Counselor, for reasons 1
.4(b) and (d)
1. (C/NF) At a February 6 meeting in Brussels, an EU working
party prepared a list of 19 entities and 15 individuals to be
subject to travel bans and asset freezes under the EU's
Common Policy on Restrictive Measures Against Iran
(2007/140/CFSP). According to a Council Secretariat contact,
EU capital-based regional and non-proliferation experts
(COMEM and CONOP, respectively) finalized the list reported
Ref A, with the addition of two entities and one individual:
Bank Melli, Safety Equipment and Procurement Inc, and IRGC
Brigadier-General Ali Hoseynitash. The Council Secretariat
has circulated the new list to EU member states for approval
under a silence procedure set to expire at close of business
Tuesday, February 12. Given Austrian resistance to the
designation of Bank Melli, France and the UK are expected to
lobby Vienna directly in the next day or so to ensure its
acquiescence. EU and Israeli sources here also confirmed
that during her visit to Israel a few days ago, Plassnik
received a tough message from Israeli leaders on the need to
increase economic and financial sanctions on Iran.
2. (C) Under a political agreement reached by member states,
EU-27 Ministers will delay taking a formal decision on the
new list until the UN Security Council adopts a third
sanctions resolution on Iran. According to our Council
Secretariat contact, EU Member States widely expect the
SIPDIS
UNSCR, currently under consideration in New York, to be
completed by the end of February. If the Security Council
fails to act by mid-March, the EU may review its sequencing
plans and move forward on its autonomous listings. According
to various EU sources, Member States' experts did not/not
debate new sanctions at the February 6 meeting, but were
expected to take up the issue in earnest upon passage of a
third UNSCR.
3. Each entry in the draft EU autonomous designation list had
been vetted by the same EU experts on November 28, 2007.
Designation of the three abovementioned names failed to
obtain sufficient support during the November round, but were
reconsidered and approved in the February 6 meeting. France
and the UK failed to obtain the support of Cyprus and Greece
for the listing of Iran Cargo. Germany and several other
unidentified member states reportedly opposed the listing of
Bank Sadarat. Largely for political reasons, most EU Member
States also balked at the designation of Iranian elected
officials, including members of the Majilis.
MURRAY
.
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE PASS TREASURY FOR U/S LEVEY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2018
TAGS: PREL ETTC KNNP PHUM IR EUN
SUBJECT: IRAN: EU AGREES TO EXPAND ASSET FREEZE AND TRAVEL
BAN LIST AFTER THIRD UNSCR
REF: LONDON 00305
Classified By: Alice Tidball, Deputy Political Counselor, for reasons 1
.4(b) and (d)
1. (C/NF) At a February 6 meeting in Brussels, an EU working
party prepared a list of 19 entities and 15 individuals to be
subject to travel bans and asset freezes under the EU's
Common Policy on Restrictive Measures Against Iran
(2007/140/CFSP). According to a Council Secretariat contact,
EU capital-based regional and non-proliferation experts
(COMEM and CONOP, respectively) finalized the list reported
Ref A, with the addition of two entities and one individual:
Bank Melli, Safety Equipment and Procurement Inc, and IRGC
Brigadier-General Ali Hoseynitash. The Council Secretariat
has circulated the new list to EU member states for approval
under a silence procedure set to expire at close of business
Tuesday, February 12. Given Austrian resistance to the
designation of Bank Melli, France and the UK are expected to
lobby Vienna directly in the next day or so to ensure its
acquiescence. EU and Israeli sources here also confirmed
that during her visit to Israel a few days ago, Plassnik
received a tough message from Israeli leaders on the need to
increase economic and financial sanctions on Iran.
2. (C) Under a political agreement reached by member states,
EU-27 Ministers will delay taking a formal decision on the
new list until the UN Security Council adopts a third
sanctions resolution on Iran. According to our Council
Secretariat contact, EU Member States widely expect the
SIPDIS
UNSCR, currently under consideration in New York, to be
completed by the end of February. If the Security Council
fails to act by mid-March, the EU may review its sequencing
plans and move forward on its autonomous listings. According
to various EU sources, Member States' experts did not/not
debate new sanctions at the February 6 meeting, but were
expected to take up the issue in earnest upon passage of a
third UNSCR.
3. Each entry in the draft EU autonomous designation list had
been vetted by the same EU experts on November 28, 2007.
Designation of the three abovementioned names failed to
obtain sufficient support during the November round, but were
reconsidered and approved in the February 6 meeting. France
and the UK failed to obtain the support of Cyprus and Greece
for the listing of Iran Cargo. Germany and several other
unidentified member states reportedly opposed the listing of
Bank Sadarat. Largely for political reasons, most EU Member
States also balked at the designation of Iranian elected
officials, including members of the Majilis.
MURRAY
.