Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 04MANAMA1835, MENA FATF ESTABLISHED TO COMBAT MONEY LAUNDERING

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #04MANAMA1835.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
04MANAMA1835 2004-12-08 14:47 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Manama
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001835 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS, S/CT, INL/C, IO/PHO, NEA/ARPI, EUR/PGI 
TREASURY FOR JZARATE, DGLASER, AND OFAC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN ETTC PREL PTER KTFN BA
SUBJECT: MENA FATF ESTABLISHED TO COMBAT MONEY LAUNDERING 
AND TERRORISM FINANCING 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY:  The inaugural meeting of the MENA FATF held 
on November 29 and 30 in Manama, Bahrain was attended by 
Ministers of Finance and Central Bank Governors from fourteen 
countries in the Middle East and North Africa.  The ministers 
selected a President, Vice President and Executive Secretary, 
but postponed action on the work program until the first 
Plenary in March 2005.  In discussing the MOU, a conflict 
over decision-making was resolved by increasing the size of a 
quorum to three quarters and requiring consensus of those in 
attendance at a Plenary for a decision.  The US delegation 
led by Treasury A/S Zarate held bilateral meetings with 11 
countries during the conference.  Zarate also met with 
Bahraini Minister of Finance and National Economy Saif who 
discussed the establishment, in Bahrain, of a special court 
to try financial crimes cases.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) On November 29 and 30, in Manama, Bahrain, ministerial 
delegations from fourteen Middle East and North Africa 
nations attended the inaugural meeting of the Middle East and 
North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENA FATF). (Note: 
FATF is an international body that sets standards and 
promotes best practices on anti-money laundering and 
combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) issues.  End 
note) The meeting was attended by the Minister of Finance 
and/or Central Bank Governor from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, 
Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, 
Syria, Tunisia, UAE, and Yemen. There were also observer 
delegations from Iraq, France, the GCC, the UK, IMF, World 
Bank, FATF, and a US delegation headed by Assistant Secretary 
of the Treasury, Juan Zarate.  The US Delegation had 
representatives from Treasury, OFAC, FinCEN, FBI, State EB 
and INL, and Embassy Baghdad. 
 
3. (U) The first day of the conference was a technical 
session during which attendees quickly agreed on the 
President, Vice President, and Executive Secretariat. 
However, there was intense debate on the MOU over how 
decisions for the body would be made.  The discussion hinged 
on the word for "consensus" in the Arabic translation of the 
MOU that some parties argued be interpreted as "unanimous." 
The USG delegation was concerned that with this 
interpretation any party could passively block an initiative 
by not acting and thereby deny unanimity.  After some 
wrangling, the group eventually agreed to a "consensus of all 
members attending the Plenary Meeting" and increased the 
necessary quorum from half to three-fourths of the total 
members.  In later discussions, Sultan Bin Nasser Al Suwaidi, 
UAE Central Bank Governor, felt that the issue was not 
critical and predicted that the internal group pressure would 
keep the group from deviating from FATF principles. 
 
4. (U) On the second day of the conference, the delegation 
heads from the attending member nations ratified the 
memorandum of understanding (MOU) to create the new body and 
establish the secretariat in Bahrain.  This was followed by a 
press conference announcing the new organization's  first 
President, Vice President and Executive Secretary.   The 
group chose Dr. Muhammad Baasiri of Lebanon as the first 
President, and Mahmoud Abdel Latif of Egypt as the first Vice 
President to serve 1-year terms.  Additionally, Adel Hamad Al 
Qulish of Saudi Arabia will act as the Executive Secretary 
for a four-year term.  They also announced that the first 
plenary meeting would be held no later than the end of March 
2005 in Lebanon.  The only item not agreed upon, or even 
discussed at the meeting was the work program for the MENA 
FATF - this will be the primary discussion at the upcoming 
plenary. 
 
US/ME & NA Bilateral Meetings on AML/CFT 
 
5. (U) During the two-day conference, the US delegation met 
with representatives from Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Iraq, 
Kuwait, Egypt, Yemen, Qatar, UAE, Algeria, and Bahrain.  They 
also held a trilateral meeting with Syria, Iraq and the 
United States.  During the bilateral meetings, the US 
delegation addressed implementation of money laundering and 
terrorism financing regulations and inquired about the 
problem of cash couriers and how the countries were 
regulating this possible loophole.  (Note: The meetings with 
Syria, Jordan, Kuwait, and UAE, are addressed in Septels. End 
note.) 
 
Kudos to the Bahrainis 
 
6. (U) On December 1, A/S Zarate and Charge met with Abdullah 
Hassan Saif, Minister of Finance and National Economy, and 
Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the Governor of the 
Bahrain Monetary Agency.  Zarate congratulated the Minister 
on the success of the MENA FATF inaugural and on his 
leadership in bringing about this new regional body.  Saif 
felt the new organization was a vote of confidence for 
Bahrain,s efforts in AML/CFT issues. 
 
7. (U) Saif also indicated that Bahrain was working to 
establish a special court to try financial crimes and that 
they had already sent some judges to training courses on 
financial crimes.  When Zarate brought up new Section 311 
authority created by the USA PATRIOT Act, Saif recommended 
that instead of using this unilateral tool the USG should 
provide countries with the necessary information and let them 
take steps to correct any problems.  Specifically Saif said 
that they would take the action if there was any issue in 
Bahrain. 
 
8. (U) Comment. MENA FATF is a significant development for 
the region.  As a FATF styled regional body, it will promote 
best practices on AML/CFT issues, do mutual evaluations of 
its members against the FATF standards, and work with its 
members to comply with international standards and measures. 
The MENA region has been slow to loosen banking secrecy laws, 
adopt proper compliance systems, and is seen as a haven for 
terrorism financing.  Therefore, the creation of the MENA 
FATF is critical for pushing the Middle East and North 
African region to improve the transparency and regulatory 
frameworks of their financial sectors.  However, the real 
success of the MENA FATF will be if it can get its members to 
implement and enforce the new laws and regulations. 
 
MONROE