CONFIDENTIAL
ALALA N
HILG 122/324/1
12 MAY 1980
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 081800Z MAY 1980
TO IMMEDIATE CERTAIN MISSIONS AND DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
GUIDANCE TELEGRAM NUMBER 44 OF 8 MAY 1980
SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN: ENABLING LEGISLATION
2
1. WE ARE COMMITTED BY THE DECISION OF EC FOREIGN MINISTERS
MEETING IN LUXEMBOURG ON 22 APRIL TO TAKE THE NECESSARY POWERS
TO IMPOSE SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VETOED
SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION OF 13 JANUARY. A SHORT ENABLING
BILL, THE IRAN (TEMPORARY POWERS) BILL, IS BEING LAID BEFORE
PARLIAMENT TODAY. ITS SECOND READING WILL TAKE PLACE ON 12 MAY,
WITH A VIEW TO OBTAINING ROYAL ASSENT BY 16 MAY. THE FINAL
DECISION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SANCTIONS WILL NOT, HOWEVER
BE TAKEN UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING OF EC FOREIGN MINISTERS ON 17 MAY.
DECISIONS WILL NATURALLY BE RELATED TO ANY DECISIVE ACTION THAT
MAY HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY IRAN OVER THE HOSTAGES ISSUE BY THEN. WE
CANNOT YET RULE OUT THIS POSSIBILITY. IRAN IS CONVENING ON
15 - 17 MAY A MEETING OF STATES AND POLITICAL BODIES, INCLUDING
SOME MEMBERS OF THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT, AND IT IS CONCEIVABLE
THAT SOME HELPFUL PROGRESS COULD BE ACHIEVED IN THIS FORUM
(FCO TELNO 75 TO ALGIERS, NOT TO ALL).
LINE TO TAKE
EXCEPT WHERE INDICATED OTHERWISE, YOU MAY DRAW FREELY ON
PARAGRAPHS 3 TO 7 IF ASKED ABOUT ENABLING LEGISLATION.
2.
3. THE ADDITIONAL POWERS WHICH THE GOVERNMENT IS SEEKING IN
ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE VETOED SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ONLY
SUPPLEMENTS POWERS WHICH IT ALREADY POSSESSES UNDER THE 1939
IMPORT, EXPORT AND CUSTOMS POWERS (DEFENCE) ACT. THESE EXISTING
POWERS INCLUDE THE BLOCKING OF THE PHYSICAL EXPORT OF GOODS.
SUCH POWERS UNDER THE 1939 ACT CAN BE BROUGHT INTO EFFECT BY A
SIMPLE ORDER-IN-COUNCIL. THE NEW BILL IS THEREFORE NECESSARY TO
/COVER OTHER
1
CONFIDENTIAL
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