GOI WILL REVIEW USG UNSCR 1267 CO-SPONSORSHIP

S E C R E T ROME 001404 SENSITIVE SIPDIS S/CT FOR JBLAZAKIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/24/2019 TAGS: IT KTFN PINR PREL PTER SA YM UN SUBJECT: GOI WILL REVIEW USG UNSCR 1267 CO-SPONSORSHIP REQUEST REF: STATE 129597 Classified By: Economic Minister Counselor George White for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Summary. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) will submit to the appropriate agencies for review, the USG request to co-sponsor for designation under UNSCR 1267, Al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and its leaders, Nasir al-Wahishi and Ali al-Shihri. End summary. ¶2. (S) On 23 December, ECONOFF advised an official in the MFA, responsible for counter-terrorism, of the USG intent to request that the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee add the Yemen-headquartered AQAP and two of its leaders, Nasir al-Wahishi and Ali al-Shihri, to the committee's list of individuals and entities associated with members of the Taliban or Al-Qa'ida. ECONOFF urged the GOI not to disclose publicly or privately the proposed 1267 Committee listing request until action has been taken. ¶3. (S) The official stated that the GOI can no longer co-sponsor individuals or entities for purely political reasons but must now have definitive evidence before agreeing to support designation requests. He explained that, under the current process, he will forward the names to the appropriate police and intelligence agencies who will conduct a review of any information available and then submit a recommendation to the Comitato di Sicurezza Finanziaria (CSF) for a final decision. ¶4. (C) The official said that a formal decision would not be forthcoming prior to the next CSF meeting in mid-February ¶2010. THORNE