Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08VALLETTA89
2008-03-06 13:33:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Valletta
Cable title:
MALTA: FINANCE MINISTRY CONCERNED AT ATTEMPTS BY
how-toVZCZCXYZ0254 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHVT #0089 0661333 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 061333Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY VALLETTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1415 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
S E C R E T VALLETTA 000089
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
NEA/IR, ISN, P, EUR, EEB, E
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2018
TAGS: EFIN ETRD KNNP MNUC PARM PGOV PREL MT
SUBJECT: MALTA: FINANCE MINISTRY CONCERNED AT ATTEMPTS BY
IRANIAN BANKS TO ACCESS EURO PAYMENT SYSTEM
Classified By: DCM Jason Davis, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
This is an action request. See para 4.
S E C R E T VALLETTA 000089
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
NEA/IR, ISN, P, EUR, EEB, E
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2018
TAGS: EFIN ETRD KNNP MNUC PARM PGOV PREL MT
SUBJECT: MALTA: FINANCE MINISTRY CONCERNED AT ATTEMPTS BY
IRANIAN BANKS TO ACCESS EURO PAYMENT SYSTEM
Classified By: DCM Jason Davis, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
This is an action request. See para 4.
1. (S) Alan Caruana, Head of Secretariat at the Maltese
Ministry of Finance, contacted DCM late March 5 to express
concern at attempts by two Iranian banks, which he thought
had branches in London and Germany, to "use Malta's payment
system, via London." These were banks that did not have a
branch license in Malta, he said, but were attempting to
"access the payment system of our central bank."
2. (S) Asked if he could provide greater detail about the
banks and the nature of the attempted activity, Caruana came
back a half hour later with the information that London-based
subsidiaries of "Persian International" and "Melli" banks
were attempting to access the "Euro Payment System" of
Malta's Central Bank. Maltese banking authorities were not
comfortable with this, and were studying whether it was
possible to just say "no thank you," but were concerned that
being fellow EU members of the UK and (as of January of this
year) in the Eurozone would "make it difficult for us,"
especially since the banks were apparently sanctioned by the
U.S., but not by the UN or the EU.
3. (S) DCM told Caruana he would report this information
back to Washington, which would likely have advice or a
request for Malta. In the meantime, Caruana should urge his
Central Bank colleagues to continue to hold off on allowing
the Iranian banks to access Malta's euro payment system.
4. (S) Action Request: Post would welcome any guidance we
could give Malta on this matter.
BORDONARO
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
NEA/IR, ISN, P, EUR, EEB, E
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2018
TAGS: EFIN ETRD KNNP MNUC PARM PGOV PREL MT
SUBJECT: MALTA: FINANCE MINISTRY CONCERNED AT ATTEMPTS BY
IRANIAN BANKS TO ACCESS EURO PAYMENT SYSTEM
Classified By: DCM Jason Davis, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
This is an action request. See para 4.
1. (S) Alan Caruana, Head of Secretariat at the Maltese
Ministry of Finance, contacted DCM late March 5 to express
concern at attempts by two Iranian banks, which he thought
had branches in London and Germany, to "use Malta's payment
system, via London." These were banks that did not have a
branch license in Malta, he said, but were attempting to
"access the payment system of our central bank."
2. (S) Asked if he could provide greater detail about the
banks and the nature of the attempted activity, Caruana came
back a half hour later with the information that London-based
subsidiaries of "Persian International" and "Melli" banks
were attempting to access the "Euro Payment System" of
Malta's Central Bank. Maltese banking authorities were not
comfortable with this, and were studying whether it was
possible to just say "no thank you," but were concerned that
being fellow EU members of the UK and (as of January of this
year) in the Eurozone would "make it difficult for us,"
especially since the banks were apparently sanctioned by the
U.S., but not by the UN or the EU.
3. (S) DCM told Caruana he would report this information
back to Washington, which would likely have advice or a
request for Malta. In the meantime, Caruana should urge his
Central Bank colleagues to continue to hold off on allowing
the Iranian banks to access Malta's euro payment system.
4. (S) Action Request: Post would welcome any guidance we
could give Malta on this matter.
BORDONARO