CONFIDENTIAL
FM NAIROBI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 474
OF 231353Z AUGUST 90
AND TO IMMEDIATE ESC
INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 020 126
IN
12 SEP1990
im
116
120200
MDHIAN 5023
MY TELNO 469: 1.
IMPLEMENTATION OF SCR661
THE PERMANENT SECRETARY AT THE MFA TOLD HAWKES TODAY THAT THE CENTRAL BANK THE MINISTRIES OF COMMERCE AND TRADE AND INDUSTRY HAD UNAMBIGUOUS INSTRUCTIONS FORBIDDING ANY EXPORT OR IMPORT TO OR FROM IRAQ OR KUWAIT. LICENCES ARE NECESSARY FOR IMPORTS AND PERMITS FOR EXPORTS AND WOULD SIMPLY NOT BE FORTHCOMING. IF WE HEARD OF ANY ATTEMPT AT AVOIDANCE IN EITHER DIRECTION THE KENYAN MFA WOULD BE GLAD TO KNOW ABOUT IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. EQUALLY, IF ANY OVERFLIGHT OR TRANSIT FACILITIES WERE REQUIRED IN THE CONTEXT OF OPERATIONS IN THE GULF EG AT MOMBASA WE (OR THE US) HAVE ONLY TO ASK. THE KENYA GOVERNMENT IS APPALLED AT HUSSEIN'S ACTION.
2.
IN AN UNRELATED DEVELOPMENT, WE HAVE BEEN APPROACHED IN
CONFIDENCE BY A SENIOR OFFICIAL OF THE CENTRAL BANK WHO TOLD US THAT HE KNEW FOR A FACT THAT IRAQI BANK NOTES ARE PRINTED IN LONDON BY DE LA RUE AND SUGGESTED THAT WE COULD RUIN THE IRAQI ECONOMY BY DROPPING VERY LARGE QUANTITIES OF COUNTERFEIT MONEY OVER THE MAIN URBAN CENTRES. ALTHOUGH WE TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE A LITTLE DOUBTFUL ABOUT THE IDEA, THIS SPONTANEOUS APPROACH BY AN OFFICIAL OF ONE OF THE BODIES RESPONSIBLE FOR POLICING THE BAN ON TRADE DOES SUGGEST THAT IT IS LIKELY TO BE RELENTLESSLY IMPLEMENTED.
BRYANT
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
229.
IRAQ/KUWAIT
LIMITED
ADDITIONAL
44
IRAQ/KUWAIT
MAFF
DISTRIBUTION
273
MED
(PASSED TO EMERGENCY UNIT)
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL
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