Malaysia’s senior Under Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responsible for the Americas and the European Union Zainuddin Yahya asked a United States diplomat why Washington had imposed sanctions on a Malaysian doctor, Mahmood Awang Kechik, who served as a physician for President Robert Mugabe.
Zainuddin asked if the US had designated Mahmood because of his provision of medical services to Mugabe or because he shipped medical equipment to Zimbabwe arguing that neither action would seem to justify sanctions.
The diplomat assured Zainuddin that the sanctions were not related to Mahmood’s role as a physician and that related shipments of equipment to Zimbabwe were not innocent commercial transactions but involved corrupt practices.
He went on to seek clarification, adding that “our ability to adequately explain the decision on Mahmood is important, not because of this individual case, but because it has bearing on the credibility of other US current and potential sanctions determinations unrelated to the situation in Zimbabwe”.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08KUALALUMPUR1056, GOM QUESTIONS DESIGNATION OF MALAYSIAN DOCTOR AS
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|
Reference ID |
Created |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHKL #1056 3370901
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 020901Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2050
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK PRIORITY 3393
RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE PRIORITY 0020
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE PRIORITY 4585
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 001056
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MTS AND AF/S
TREASURY FOR OFAC
SINGAPORE PASS TO SUSAN BAKER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2018
SUBJECT: GOM QUESTIONS DESIGNATION OF MALAYSIAN DOCTOR AS
MUGABE CRONY
REF: TREASURY PRESS RELEASE OF 25 NOV 2008
Classified By: Political Counselor Mark D. Clark for reason 1.4 (b and
d).
¶1. (C) Malaysian Foreign Ministry Senior Under Secretary
(Americas, EU) Zainuddin Yahya called in Polcouns for a
November 28 meeting and raised questions concerning press
reports that the U.S. had imposed sanctions on a Malaysian
doctor, Mahmood Awang Kechik, who served as a physician for
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe. After reviewing the
Treasury press release of November 25, which we provided,
Zainuddin asked if the U.S. had designated Mahmood because of
his provision of medical services to Mugabe or because he
shipped medical equipment to Zimbabwe. Neither action would
seem to justify sanctions, Zainuddin said. Polcouns assured
Zainuddin that the sanctions were not related to Mahmood’s
role as a physician and that related shipments of equipment
to Zimbabwe were not innocent commercial transactions but
involved corrupt practices. Polcouns promised to provide
further information on Mahmood if and when this became
available. Zainuddin said the Foreign Ministry may encourage
Mahmood to approach the Embassy with information “to clear
his name.”
¶2. (C) Action request: Beyond the wording in the initial
press release and general documents on the Mugabe sanctions,
Embassy requests cleared language that further characterizes
Mahmood’s actions related to the OFAC designation without
going into sensitive details. Our ability to adequately
explain the decision on Mahmood is important, not because of
this individual case, but because it has bearing on the
credibility of other U.S. current and potential sanctions
determinations unrelated to the situation in Zimbabwe.
KEITH
(53 VIEWS)
