VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNC #0797/01 2711327
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 281327Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8207
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 3926
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1332
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5036
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4279

UNCLAS NICOSIA 000797 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN PGOV ETER CY
SUBJECT: "TRNC" ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING: THERE'S SOME WILL, BUT THEY 
NEED A WAY 
 
(U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
1.(SBU) Summary. A seminar sponsored by the European Commission 
brought experts from around Europe to address "TRNC officials" 
responsible for combating money laundering in northern Cyprus. The 
"TRNC" team was well-prepared and anxious to be cooperative while 
making plain that successful implementation of any new anti-money 
laundering regime depended on the passage of new "laws and 
regulations," considerable assistance for training staff and, 
especially, greater cooperation and information-sharing between 
their financial intelligence unit (once it is fully-formed) and 
those of other nations.  The good news is that all parties, 
apparently including the Republic of Cyprus, recognize the growing 
problem in northern Cyprus, and seem anxious (at least at the 
highest working level) to find ways to deal with it in an apolitical 
manner. End Summary. 
 
2.(SBU) In July 2007, the International Cooperation Review Group 
(ICRG) of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF, the 
inter-governmental body developing and promoting policies to combat 
money laundering and terrorist financing) completed an assessment of 
vulnerabilities within the anti-money laundering/counter terrorist 
financing (AML/CFT) regime in the "TRNC." It found that "the 
northern part of Cyprus lacks a financial intelligence Unit (FIU) as 
well as the legal and institutional framework to provide effective 
protection against the risks of money laundering and terrorist 
financing" and further stated that "these weaknesses pose a genuine 
threat to the global AML/CFT framework." Since the "TRNC" is not a 
FATF member, the European Commission took the role of "honest 
broker" and delivered the report to the "TRNC." Further, it 
sponsored a two-day seminar in northern Nicosia to discuss the 
report's recommendations, explain EU AML directives and best 
international practices, and urge the "TRNC" to respond to the 
report with an action plan. 
 
"WE'RE SERIOUS, BUT WE NEED COOPERATION" 
---------------------------------------- 
 
3.(SBU) Regulatory and criminal experts from the European 
Commission, UK, Netherlands and Sweden (with a US Treasury official 
observing) participated in the September 24-26 seminar.  The "TRNC" 
side had 24 participants from the "Ministry of Finance," "Central 
Bank," "Public Prosecutor," "Customs," and police led by the 
"Undersecretary of Finance" and "Chairman of the Illicit Money and 
Supervision Board," Zeren Mungan.   While the "TRNC" participants 
accepted that there are significant shortcomings in their AML/CFT 
capabilities, they objected to the report's "implications that we 
are not fighting the problem" and to the fact that the report was 
written "without anyone actually ever talking to us."  Mungan 
pointed to the successful closure of First Merchant Bank by the 
"TRNC" for AML violations as an indication that there is a will to 
combat the problem but that it is "an international problem that 
requires international cooperation," and due to the "TRNC's 
isolation, the necessary cooperation is often unavailable."  This, 
he said, often results in insufficient evidence with which to pursue 
potential AML cases. "We should be represented at the FATF, under 
whatever name," Mungan argued, "to achieve practical results". 
 
4.(SBU) After this preliminary statement of "TRNC" problems with the 
international community's approach, the seminar settled into a 
detailed discussion of current "TRNC law" and practice and their 
AML/CFT-related shortcomings.  The "TRNC" participants parried all 
concerns by promising all shortcomings would be addressed in pending 
new "legislation and regulations" via specific bills covering 
proceeds of crime, casino oversight and updated banking "law." 
Among other things, new "laws and regulations" will reportedly make 
clear the relationship between listed predicate offenses and the 
offense of money laundering, improve confiscation capabilities, 
reduce the burden of proof necessary to obtain a conviction for 
money laundering and -- most importantly -- bring casinos, insurance 
companies and exchange bureaus (as well as real estate agencies, car 
and jewelry dealers and accountants) into the list of groups that 
will be responsible for reporting suspicious activities.  The "TRNC" 
participants also promised broad "know your customer" requirements 
will be part of the new system. 
 
OFF-SHORE BANKS TO GO? 
---------------------- 
 
5.(SBU) While on-shore banks will continue to be regulated by the 
"Central Bank" under the new regime, offshore banks will be 
regulated by the "Economy Ministry," and all other non-bank 
 
financial institutions (including casinos) will be regulated and 
monitored by the "Finance Ministry."  (Note: The experts were 
concerned that this division of "regulatory" responsibility in such 
an under-resourced jurisdiction could create future shortcomings. 
End Note.) 
 
6.(SBU) The European experts were concerned that the draft banking 
"legislation" does not apply to the off-shore banks and will be 
regulated by a body yet to be formed with "legislation" that is said 
to currently be under consideration by "Parliament" but was not 
presented to the seminar.  Mungan noted that the number of off-shore 
banks has been reduced from 26 to 14 with another three "inactive" 
over the past two years and said, almost as an aside, "there is 
debate about whether the off-shore sector will be allowed to 
continue." He did not elaborate, although he did allude to the lack 
of profitability of these institutions. 
 
AMBITIOUS TIMEFRAME 
------------------- 
 
7.(SBU) Mungan repeatedly promised that the "TRNC" action plan 
responding to the FATF report would be ready in time for a FATF 
meeting the week of October 8.  The foreign contingent stressed that 
any plan should not be a "check the box" exercise in response to the 
FATF report but a holistic explanation of how the "TRNC" plans to 
address AML issues both short- and long-term, and include detailed 
timelines, departments responsible for each action item and resource 
requirements.  Mungan insisted that all this would be done despite 
the clear time constraints.  He also promised that AML and casino 
"regulatory legislation" currently being reviewed by the "Attorney 
General"  will be presented to the "Council of Ministers" by the end 
of October and be considered by "Parliament" by year-end.  While 
Mungan would not guarantee passage of the "legislation," the fact 
that the opposition walked out of "Parliament" a year ago clearly 
made the "Undersecretary" fairly confident the "government" had the 
percentages in its favor.  The experts stressed that "TRNC" 
credibility would be at risk if these timelines were reported to 
FATF but not met. 
 
8.(SBU) Comment: As the ICRG noted in a recent report, "it would 
seem that the northern part of Cyprus is taking things seriously." 
We concur in many respects. The "TRNC" participants were engaged and 
prepared to answer the many difficult and often highly technical 
questions posed to them.  They consistently sought to improve their 
pending "legislation" based on what they learned at the seminar and 
understood the negative implications if they fail to improve the AML 
regime in the Turkish Cypriot-administered area.  That said, it 
remains unclear how willing "President" Talat actually will be in 
making a final push for adoption of the draft legislation, which has 
been floating around the "TRNC" corridors for a year. Also, the 
resource constraints, especially in trained personnel, will clearly 
be a major factor in implementing changes foreseen in the pending 
"legislation."  The "TRNC" officials are aware that they will need 
foreign assistance, especially in training and IT systems supply, if 
any new AML/CFT regime is to be successful.  The ability of the 
"government" to create (and enforce) a new regulatory framework for 
casinos in the face of opposition from well-financed casino 
owners/operators will be a major test of the "TRNC's" political will 
to rein in money laundering activity. 
 
9.(SBU) Comment continued: We were advised by Steve Darling, a Brit 
who headed the Commission delegation, that he would brief Eva 
Papakyriakou, the Greek Cypriot FIU chief, on the outcome of the 
seminar.  Darling also advised that Mungan and Papakyriakou planned 
a dinner at a private residence in the north to talk about how the 
two sides might cooperate on AML issues (this was later confirmed to 
us by Papakyriakou). The fact that the GoC has not protested the 
seminar (despite being specifically uninvited by the "TRNC") could 
indicate they recognize that money laundering in the north is a 
problem for the whole island, and possible solutions should not be 
politicized.  Pending the passage of the new "laws" in northern 
Cyprus, the UK intends to offer considerable training on AML and 
terrorist finance issues and will likely seek USG help in providing 
such assistance. 
SCHLICHER