GOB TO RESPECT DESIGNATION OF GULF-BASED AL-QAIDA

UNCLAS GABORONE 000992 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIN KTFN PTER ETTC PREL PINR UNSC BA QT BC SUBJECT: GOB TO RESPECT DESIGNATION OF GULF-BASED AL-QAIDA FINANCIERS REF: STATE 113231 ¶1. (SBU) PolOff met with the Director of the Department of Multilateral Affairs in Botswana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mmamosadinyana Punkie Josephine Molefe November 12. PolOff discussed the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee approval to add three Gulf-based al-Qaida financiers: Khalifa Muhammad TurkiAl-Subaiy, Abd Al-Rahman Muhammad Jaffar Ali, and Adil Muhammad Mahmud Abd Al-Khaliq. Further, PolOff informed the Director that the United States designated these individuals domestically on June 5, and urged the GOB to take action in accordance with its obligations under relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. ¶2. (SBU) The Director said that there will be a GOB multi-agency counterterrorism meeting on Friday and she will take this information with her to the meeting to ensure all interested parties are informed. She added that Botswana will respect the designation of the three Gulf-based al-Qaida financiers. Director Molefe also stressed that Botswana considers its obligations under international agreements very important. NOLAN