SWEDES PREFER TO LET U.S. TAKE LEAD ON 1267

UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000442 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/PSC (ECROWE) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIN PREL PTER UNSC SW SUBJECT: SWEDES PREFER TO LET U.S. TAKE LEAD ON 1267 DELISTINGS OF AL-BARAKAAT AND MOUMOU REF: A. STOCKHOLM 409 ¶B. STATE 69814 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Swedish MFA Sanctions Coordinator Ambassador Per Saland told Emboff on July 21 that Sweden is pleased with the U.S. decision to review the 1267 list, and that Sweden looks forward to a constructive dialogue on this issue. Regarding the delisting of Al-Barakaat and Moumou, he said that after consultation with the Swedish UN Mission, Austrian chair of the Sanctions Committee, the Monitoring Group and the U.S. UN Mission, Sweden has determined that no further steps on the Swedish side are necessary or advisable. "Unless given a clear indication to the contrary, the Swedish Government, therefore, will not make any further move on these two matters," Saland explained. If the U.S. and the UN successfully delist Swedish citizen Moumou and Al-Barakaat, Saland told us that the Swedish government will say "bravo and clap its hands quietly." End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) On July 21 Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Sanctions Coordinator Ambassador Per Saland told Acting Economic Counselor that the Swedish Government is very satisfied with the U.S. Government's commitment to ensure fairness and transparency in implementation of sanctions. Saland stated that Sweden is "pleased to hear that the U.S. is conducting a comprehensive review of the 1267 sanctions list to review its files to ensure, as best possible, that the listings the U.S. continues to support remain appropriate." He called this comprehensive review "a major step forward in reaching appropriate due process standards for the 1267 regime," adding that it is essential for the regime's "credibility and sustainability" to ensure that the list is as solidly based and updated as possible and that it is continuously reviewed in the future. Saland stated that that Sweden looks forward to continuing a constructive dialogue on these matters with the U.S. and other Security Council Members in view of the upcoming review of the whole range of the 1267 procedures. ¶3. (SBU) On the issue of the Al-Barakaat and Moumou listings, Saland noted that the Swedish Government has already made its views known at the request of the 1267 Sanctions Committee. Following the U.S. message, the Swedish Permanent Mission at the UN has been in informal contact with the Austrian Chair of the Committee, the Monitoring Group and the U.S. mission to the UN. Saland told Emboff that Sweden was advised that these listings will be considered in due course (probably in September) in connection with all the others in the two first tranches, and that "no further steps on the Swedish side would be necessary or even advisable," given the fact that Sweden had been given written replies on both accounts and that there is a stated intention in favor of delisting on behalf of the designating State. He added that Sweden was told that the U.S. authorities are already preparing the proposals for delisting and that any further Swedish intervention could complicate the two matters in the Committee from a procedural point of view. ¶5. (SBU) "Unless given a clear indication to the contrary, the Swedish Government, therefore, will not make any further move on these two matters. Should the U.S. side wish to further discuss the best way forward, we are of course open to consider other arrangements," Saland explained. He said that the Foreign Ministry has had no contact from Al-Barakaat or its legal council, and the Ministry does not wish to contact Al-Barakaat or raise public comments before the facts from the trial are known. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: Sweden clearly wishes to make little noise publicly about the delisting of Al-Barakaat and Moumou. Ambassador Saland was positive and appeared genuinely pleased at the U.S.' renewed interest in what he characterized as "fairness and transparency." If the U.S. and the UN successfully delist Moumou and Al-Barakaat, Saland told us that the Swedish government will say "bravo and clap its hands quietly." SILVERMAN