RUSSIA CONCERNED WITH UNSCR 1267 DELISTING OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 001817 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER KTFN UNSC AF RS SUBJECT: RUSSIA CONCERNED WITH UNSCR 1267 DELISTING OF TALIBAN Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Robert Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) MFA Department of International Organizations Director Gennadiy Gatilov told IO DAS Brian Hook on June 19 that Russia was concerned with the process of reconciling Taliban with the Afghan government and would continue to approach 1267 delisting cautiously. He explained that the GOR did not want individuals removed from the 1267 list without "serious grounds" for doing so and required guarantees from the countries requesting delisting that these people would not return to terrorism. Gatilov said the GOR did not disagree with delisting per se, but moved slowly on each delisting request to ensure there would be "no mistakes." When Hook asked why the GOR was willing to accept reconciliation in other countries, such as Iraq, but not in Afghanistan, Gatilov responded that Russia had a "good understanding" of the situation in Afghanistan. ¶2. (C) Gatilov dismissed the suggestion that the Russian Ambassador in Kabul was particularly skeptical of delisting, joking that perhaps the Ambassador "just knows better." Gatilov resisted Hook's suggestion that the Russian Ambassador meet several individuals that have reconciled with the Afghan government and are proposed for delisting, explaining that the GOR relied on its Embassy to report on specific delisting requests but final decisions were made by "competent authorities" in Moscow. ¶3. (C) Gatilov and Hook agreed on the necessity of listing narcotraffickers whose activities financed terrorists in Afghanistan, although Hook explained that without the prospect of eventual delisting there was little incentive for them to change their behavior. Hook stressed the need to delist individuals, since keeping them on the list meant a "life sentence" that created problems with several European countries that were concerned about a lack of due process and resisted new listings. Gatilov appeared unconvinced by this argument, but agreed to work on a case-by-case basis on delisting to see if progress could be made. RUSSELL