This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T THE HAGUE 002210
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/ESC/ESP (GLASS), S/CT (FOX), EUR/ERA(PARKER),
IO/PHO (PEREZ)
NSC FOR JMEYERS
TREASURY FOR GENERAL COUNSEL (AUFHAUSER), TREASURY
(ZARATE), TASK FORCE ON TERRORIST FINANCING, OFAC DIRECTOR
(N...
10449
2003-09-02
03THEHAGUE2210
Embassy The Hague
SECRET
03STATE249877
S E C R E T THE HAGUE 002210
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/ESC/ESP (GLASS), S/CT (FOX), EUR/ERA(PARKER),
IO/PHO (PEREZ)
NSC FOR JMEYERS
TREASURY FOR GENERAL COUNSEL (AUFHAUSER), TREASURY
(ZARATE), TASK FORCE ON TERRORIST FINANCING, OFAC DIRECTOR
(NEWCOMB)
JUSTICE FOR OIA/JFRIEDMAN
FBI FOR LORMEL
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR LEGATT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2013
TAGS: ETTC KPAL PTER EUN NL
SUBJECT: TERRORIST ASSETS: SECRETARY'S MESSAGE TO EU
FOREIGN MINISTERS ON DESIGNATION OF HAMAS
REF: A. STATE 249877
B. STATE 250490
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Daniel Russel Reasons 1.5(b) and
(d)
1. (C) Acting Economic Counselor delivered the Secretary's
message (ref a) and peace process section of Gymnich demarche
(ref b) to Dutch Political Affairs Director Werner on
September 2 with a request that they be conveyed to Foreign
Minister de Hoop Scheffer in advance of the FM's September 3
meeting with Secretary Powell in Washington. Prime Minister
Balkenende and FM de Hoop Scheffer are also scheduled to meet
9/2 with the Vice President and 9/3 with the President in
Washington.
2. (S) Werner reiterated Dutch support for designating Hamas
and its fundraisers and said FM de Hoop Scheffer would push
for this at Gymnich. Werner thought the PA's freezing of
Hamas-related bank accounts and proactively asking for EU
action against Hamas fundraising would make it much easier
for the EU to go forward with a designation. A/Econcouns
stressed the importance of the EU's not only designating
Hamas but taking proactive measures to disrupt Hamas
fundraising, including through investigating and designating
supporters and front organizations. A/Econcouns mentioned
the Dutch designation of the Al Aqsa Foundation and freezing
of 200,000 euro in its funds as a positive example, although
more needed to be done. Werner thought the informality of
the Gymnich meeting would be more conducive to a French
change of position than would a more formal EU Council
meeting. (Note: In a separate meeting with Poloff, Werner's
deputy noted that pressure on France from other EU members is
heavy right now.) Werner asked whether the USG had any
specific information on the fifty bank accounts of
Hamas-related charities frozen in Gaza and inquired whether
the U.S. planned to freeze the accounts of these institutions
as well.
3. (S) Werner said that an EU move to cut off Hamas
fundraising should be followed by an approach to Israel to
end targeted killings of Hamas leaders. Werner stressed the
importance and difficulty of assuring that humanitarian
assistance to the Palestinians continues to flow once Hamas
charities are cut out. Funneling assistance thorough the
PA could strengthen Abu Mazen's position, say the Dutch, but
Hamas and its supporters are thoroughly interwoven into the
Palestinian charitable network. Delivering effective
assistance, the Dutch note, cannot be not accomplished simply
by increasing the amount of funding available to UNWRA or the
PA: the absorptive capability of these organizations is
limited and the security situation on the ground possibly
perilous. It is very positive, say the Dutch that the
Palestinian Finance Minister has moved to tighten controls on
PA finances including parastatals. Werner noted that the EU
has tried to condition its provision of additional
assistance to the Palestinian Authority on the PA's behaving
responsibly in the Middle East peace process.
RUSSEL