US embassy cable - 04BRUSSELS4362

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 004362 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2014 
TAGS: PTER, KTFN, NP, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: EU CLOSE TO A DECISION TO FREEZE MAOIST ASSETS 
 
REF: STATE 213824 
 
Classified By: USEU Political Military Officer Jeremy Brenner for reaso 
ns 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
 1. (C)  Summary.  The EU is "close" to taking a decision to 
freeze Maoist assets.  While there is some discussion of 
tactics, there is an increasing awareness within the EU of 
the need to act. End summary. 
 
2. (C) USEU Poloff raised reftel points on freezing Maoist 
assets with Bruno Hanses, South Asia officer within the 
External and Politico-Military Affairs Directorate of the 
European Council.  Hanses told us that the thinking within 
the EU has evolved considerably since the U.S. last raised 
the issue.  He said that the question of an assets freeze has 
been discussed at length within the anti-terrorism 
clearinghouse, and that the EU is "close to doing it." 
 
3. (C) Hanses characterized the action as symbolic in nature 
and said that there was some tactical consideration being 
given to "keeping the issue in the fire" for a bit in order 
to extract the maximum pressure from the threat before 
actually implementing it.  There was, he assured us, an 
increasing awareness within the EU on the need for the action. 
 
Scott