INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Embassy Oslo

Published: Fri 4 May 2007 02:18 PM
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHNY #0480 1241418
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 041418Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY OSLO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5643
INFO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 0096
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS PRIORITY 0116
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0599
RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 1254
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1060
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 0363
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 2311
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 0128
RUEHDL/AMEMBASSY DUBLIN PRIORITY 0216
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0446
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1442
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 1774
RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA PRIORITY 0092
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0440
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0969
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 0526
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0790
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 3110
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 4382
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN PRIORITY 0019
S E C R E T OSLO 000480
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
ISN/CPI (JCHALMERS), NEA/IR (SMISKO), PLEASE PASS TO TREASURY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2017 TAGS: EFIN IR PARM KNNP NO
REF: A. STATE 60238
B. OSLO 320
Classified By: [TEXT REMOVED BY AFTENPOSTEN ], Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (S) On May 4 we delivered reftel A points to [TEXT REMOVED BY AFTENPOSTEN ], who reviewed the GON´s steps to freeze Sepah´s assets, as outlined in reftel B. On March 30, the GON had amended its regulations and drafted the necessary legal instruments to freeze Sepah assets in Norway. The Norwegian Security and Exchange Commission (KreditTilsynet) was contacted, which communicated the freeze to Norwegian banks and financial institutions.
2. (S) Sepah´s bank account in the Norwegian bank Nordea, which had a balance of approximately 28,300 USD, was immediately frozen. Nordea simultaneously deleted all credit lines with Sepah, and confirmed to the GON that there were no outstanding Sepah letters of credit. To [TEXT REMOVED BY AFTENPOSTEN ] knowledge, there has been no evidence of an asset flight, and there is no information indicating any additional Sepah accounts in Norway.
3. (S) [TEXT REMOVED BY AFTENPOSTEN ] noted that the Norwegian Central Bank provided the MFA with a copy of a letter from the Iranian Central Bank president. The letter (which was not provided to us) outlined a general Iranian appeal to European central bank governors complaining of the Security Council´s decision. The GON was asked in the letter to work toward lifting the asset freeze. The Norwegian Bank did not respond, determining that the letter should be filed "for no further action." [TEXT REMOVED BY AFTENPOSTEN ] will inform us of any additional developments.
WHITNEY
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