CANADA CONCERNED ABOUT REDUNDANCY OF G8 INITIATIVE

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000634 SENSITIVE SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION STATE FOR WHA/CAN AND EEB/TFS TOKYO FOR A/S SULLIVAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EFIN PREL PTER KTFN CA SUBJECT: CANADA CONCERNED ABOUT REDUNDANCY OF G8 INITIATIVE ON TERRORIST ABUSE OF CHARITIES REF: SECSTATE 46472 ¶1. (U) On May 5 Econoff delivered reftel points to Yves Beaulieu, Deputy Director, International Crime and Terrorism, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Beaulieu confirmed that CANADA had received the proposal on April 10 and stated that CANADA share the USG's concern regarding terrorist abuse of charities. However, Beaulieu stated that the Government of CANADA did not have a position on the USG initiative. ¶2. (SBU) On May 7 Beaulieu stated that: "We take (this issue) very seriously. CANADA is concerned about the manipulation and abuse of the charitable sector by terrorists and terrorist groups. We note that the FATF is already working on this issue via its work on Special Recommendation 8. We are seeking clarification on how the proposed G-8 Financial Ministers' action plan would complement or add incremental value to the work already being undertaken by FATF." ¶3. (U) EEB/TFS has asked U.S. Department of Treasury officials to contact Beaulieu to clarify how the G-8 Initiative will complement the FATF's work. Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada RODDY