US embassy cable - 03THEHAGUE1957

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IRAQI ASSETS: DUTCH IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1483

Identifier: 03THEHAGUE1957
Wikileaks: View 03THEHAGUE1957 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy The Hague
Created: 2003-08-05 08:35:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Tags: ETTC IZ NL EUN
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001957 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
TREASURY FOR ZARATE 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR LEGATT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2008 
TAGS: ETTC, IZ, NL, EUN 
SUBJECT: IRAQI ASSETS: DUTCH IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1483 
 
REF: A. BRUSSELS 3812 
 
     B. STATE 211439 
     C. THE HAGUE 1900 
 
Classified By: Acting Economic Counselor Todd Kushner.  Reason 1.5(b) a 
nd (d) 
 
 1.  (C/NF) The Netherlands central bank has tasked Dutch 
financial institutions to search their records for any 
accounts linked to the former Iraqi regime and to immediately 
freeze any that are discovered regardless of whether they are 
on a UN list.  Dutch officials admit that the EU regulation 
implementing UNSCR 1483 provides a legal basis only for 
freezing assets listed by the UN.  However, they have decided 
to implement a more extensive blocking regime and plan to 
unfreeze assets only if ordered to by a Dutch court. 
 
2. (SBU) Nevertheless, the Dutch would like to see as 
extensive a UN listing process as possible to provide not 
only legal cover but improved identifiers.  They are 
struggling to develop standards for asset freezing.  Must 
they freeze accounts of firms where a company owned by the 
former Iraqi regime is a minority shareholder?  The accounts 
of a firm where a former Iraqi official is one member of an 
extensive board of directors?  The Dutch have asked for 
specific information on how U.S. financial institutions are 
implementing UNSCR 1483. 
 
3. (SBU) Clarifying ref c, the Dutch indicate that the EU 
regulation implementing UNSCR 1483 addresses freezing and 
transfer of Iraqi assets but does not address confiscation. 
Confiscation was left out of the regulation after legal 
experts asserted that confiscation is not an area of 
community competence.  Thus it is up to each member state 
individually to implement UNSCR 1483's confiscation 
requirements.  The Dutch will require new legislation to do 
so. 
RUSSEL 

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