US embassy cable - 04BRUSSELS2828

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 002828 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, S/WCI 
TREASURY OFAC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, EFIN, ETTC, EUN, KWAC, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: OPERATION BALKAN VICE IV: EU RESPONSE 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 142628 
 
     B. USEU BRUSSELS 903 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Maren Smith for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d 
). 
 
1.  (C) We met on June 30 with Council and Commission 
representatives to discuss ref A demarche.  Council 
Secretariat Director for the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, 
 
SIPDIS 
and Central Asia Stefan Lehne and desk officer Helene 
Holm-Pedersen had no comment on the four entities mentioned 
in our demarche, but did note that the EU had recently added 
new people -- all of whom were directly linked to Karadzic -- 
to its visa ban list.  They said that asset freezes were 
unlikely due to EU and member-state legal constraints, but 
Holm-Pedersen suggested that the incoming Dutch Presidency 
would take a particularly strong interest in this issue.  She 
added that there is an EU measure in the works relating to 
the assets of actual indictees (not just supporters or people 
linked to suspects) (ref B).  As it requires formal 
consultation with the European Parliament, the 13 June 
elections and consequent changes in the EP have slowed the 
process.  After the EP has been consulted, the measure will 
return to the Council, where Holm-Pedersen foresaw no 
problems with its final approval. 
 
2.  (C) Patrick Rock, External Relations Commissioner Chris 
Patten's cabinet adviser on Balkans issues, pointed to the 30 
June EU statement offering full support for Ashdown's actions 
in Bosnia earlier in the day and stressing the need for full 
cooperation with the Tribunal.   Regarding visa bans, Rock 
thought that it was possible that the EU would follow the 
U.S. and add additional names recommended by Ashdown.  He was 
firm, however, in saying that the EU was not able to freeze 
assets of ICTY indictee support networks, which he attributed 
to legal issues in some member states.  Although the 
presidency country could not change member-state law, Rock 
did feel that the Dutch might be able to take a more active 
approach and encouraged our raising the issue with them. 
Rock said that the EU's Western Balkans Working Group (COWEB) 
would almost certainly consider the demarche at its next 
meeting and remarked that the UK "could often be helpful." 
 
SCHNABEL